Former Texas Tech coach Bob Knight has signed up with ESPN to join the Worldwide Leader for its Championship Week coverage, then he will remain with ESPN throughout March for the NCAA Tournament. Here’s the text of ESPN’s press release:
Bob Knight Joins ESPN as Studio Analyst For Championship Week and NCAA Tournament
Basketball Hall of Famer Bob Knight, the winningest coach in Division I men’s college basketball with 902 victories, will join ESPN as a men’s college basketball studio analyst during the network’s coverage of Championship Week Presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods and through the NCAA Tournament. Knight will begin Wednesday, March 12 from ESPN’s Bristol studios and conclude Monday, April 7 from ESPN’s set in San Antonio, Texas, site of the NCAA Final Four. As part of the agreement, Knight will also appear on select ESPN shows and platforms, including SportsCenter, ESPN Radio and ESPNEWS.
“I think ESPN has been real good for college basketball and I look forward to working with some of their people who I have known a long time,” said Knight.
Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president, production, added, “Coach Knight is a legend with a depth of knowledge on tournament basketball. Fans have always found him to be a compelling listen and we are delighted to add his insights to our tournament coverage.”
Knight will serve as an analyst on ESPN’s day-long pre-game, halftime and between-game segments Wednesday, March 12 through Sunday, March 16, as well as on ESPN’s Selection Sunday specials: College GameDay Driven by State Farm at 11 a.m. ET and the two ESPNU Bracketology Presented by Staples selection specials at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
He will also appear throughout ESPN’s studio coverage of the NCAA Tournament, including analysis from Bristol for the first and second rounds on March 20-21 and the regional finals on March 27-28. He will appear via satellite at the conclusion of games on March 23 and 30. During the Final Four, Knight will offer analysis on ESPN’s on-site coverage from San Antonio April 5-7. He will be working alongside Rece Davis, John Saunders, Karl Ravech, Dick Vitale, Digger Phelps, Jay Bilas, Hubert Davis and others.
Knight resigned from Texas Tech on February 4, 2008. He coached for 47 years, compiling a 902-371 record as a head coach with Army (1965-71), Indiana (1971-2000) and Texas Tech (2001-08). In his career, he won three NCAA championships (1976, 1981 and 1987), a NIT championship (1979), led the 1984 U.S. national team to an Olympic gold medal and a Pan-American Games Gold medal (1979). He is the only coach to win all four championships. During his career at Indiana, Knight led the Hoosiers to 11 Big Ten championships and his 1976 squad remains the last Division I men’s team to go undefeated and win the NCAA championship. He was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991.
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We’ll see if this is the start of a new career for Knight, or something temporary.
