Indiana Basketball to Build Bob Knight Statue in Assembly Hall

The Hoosiers will honor their legendary former coach with a bronze statue in the south lobby of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

Feb. 9, 2026 at 9:31pm

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Indiana basketball announced it will build a bronze statue of late coach Bob Knight in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall's south lobby. Knight coached the Hoosiers from 1971-2000, winning three national championships, 11 Big Ten titles, and five coach of the year awards. The statue will be unveiled during a ceremony honoring the 1975-76 unbeaten national championship team, of which several players spoke fondly of Knight's impact on the program.

Why it matters

Bob Knight is considered one of the most influential and successful college basketball coaches of all time, and his tenure at Indiana University is legendary. The statue will serve as a permanent tribute to Knight's legacy and the immense impact he had on the Hoosiers' basketball program and the sport as a whole.

The details

The announcement of the Bob Knight statue came during a ceremony honoring the 1975-76 Indiana team that went 32-0 and won the national championship. Several players from that team, including Quinn Buckner and Bobby Wilkerson, spoke about Knight's ability to mold the team and prepare them mentally, which was a key to their historic undefeated season. Knight's son, Pat Knight, represented his father at the ceremony. The statue will be placed in the south lobby of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, the iconic arena where Knight led the Hoosiers to so much success.

  • Indiana basketball announced the Bob Knight statue on February 10, 2026.
  • The 1975-76 Indiana team was honored on the same night the statue announcement was made.

The players

Bob Knight

The legendary former head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers basketball team, who won three national championships and 11 Big Ten titles during his tenure from 1971-2000.

Quinn Buckner

A member of the Indiana University Board of Trustees and a senior guard on the 1975-76 Hoosiers team that went undefeated and won the national championship.

Bobby Wilkerson

A player on the 1975-76 Indiana team, who was introduced to fans as "the greatest defender to ever play for the Hoosiers."

Kent Benson

The starting center for the 1975-76 Indiana team, who spoke about the mental preparation instilled by Coach Knight.

Pat Knight

The son of Bob Knight and a former player for the Hoosiers from 1991-95, who represented his father at the ceremony.

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What they’re saying

“He changed college basketball, and he's our coach.”

— Quinn Buckner, Indiana University Board of Trustee and 1975-76 Hoosiers player (si.com)

“Coach Knight was so good about molding and making us together as a team. And with that, when the team wins, everybody wins. And we've been so blessed together as a unit, individually and collectively, to come together to accomplish these things.”

— Bobby Wilkerson, 1975-76 Hoosiers player (si.com)

“Coach Knight always talked about, the mental is to the physical as four is to one. The mental is four times greater than the physical. We knew we could physically accomplish great things.”

— Kent Benson, 1975-76 Hoosiers player (si.com)

What’s next

The statue of Bob Knight is expected to be unveiled at a future ceremony in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

The takeaway

The decision to build a statue of Bob Knight in Assembly Hall is a fitting tribute to the legendary coach who transformed Indiana basketball into a national powerhouse. Knight's impact on the program and the sport as a whole is undeniable, and this statue will ensure his legacy lives on for generations of Hoosiers fans.