Three national titles and numerous wins against the very best. People created controversy regarding Coach Knight because he was driven to excel and expected every player to put forth their best effort at all times.
I “hated” Knight because he beat my team in 1981, winning his second of three titles at Indiana. Carolina would come back the next year to win Smith’s first title (1982).
Bobby Knight never had to face NCAA sanctions because he never violated the rules. That says as much as anything else about the man. He was without question one of the finest basketball tacticians and teachers.
RIP, Coach Knight, you earned a good rest on the hardwood.
Update:
We lost a NC (Pineville) native today, the legendary Walter Davis. One of the best Tar Heel basketball players in history and famous for the “shot”. The shot was a 25 foot shot at the buzzer against dook in 1974 that capped an 8 points in 17 second scoring spree to tie the game and send it to OT where Carolina would win. Walter was a freshman that year. Walter Davis is the uncle of current UNC head coach Hubert Davis. RIP Walter, you were as fine a man as you were a great BB player.