Bob Knight Receives Standing Ovation in Return to Assembly Hall

Bob Knight returned to Assembly Hall on Saturday for the first time in 20 years.

Bob Knight received a standing ovation as he entered Assembly Hall on Saturday for the first time in 20 years.

The fans chanted "Bobby!" when an emotional Knight embraced his former players in the middle of the court. Knight joined the Indiana Hoosiers to honor the 1980 Big Ten Champion men's basketball team at halftime of their game against the Purdue Boilermakers. That season's squad went 21–8 and rose to No. 1 in the AP poll before eventually losing in the Sweet 16. 

Isiah Thomas, Mike Woodson and Butch Carter were among the members of the 1980 team in attendance for the ceremony, as well as several other of Knight's former players.

Bob Knight receives a standing ovation in his long-awaited return to Assembly Hall 👏

(via @BigTenNetwork)pic.twitter.com/PfhVeQMoWJ

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) February 8, 2020

Other notable guests at the game include former Purdue men's basketball coach Gene Keady, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and ESPN anchor Sage Steele. Keady coached against Knight 41 times during their respective careers at Indiana and Purdue. Both Cuban and Steele graduated from Indiana.

Knight had not returned to Assembly Hall since being fired from Indiana. The controversial end to his 29-year reign came to a close in September 2000 as he "gave a student an unmannerly lesson in manners."

Knight took home three NCAA titles at IU and coached the 1984 men’s Olympic basketball team to a gold medal. But his coaching career was also marred by several violent outbursts over nearly three decades—from throwing a chair during a game, to allegedly throwing a vase at a university secretary.

Knight returned to Indiana's campus last April, attending a baseball game that pitted the Hoosiers against Penn State.

Prior to last year's appearance, he hadn't been on IU's campus since giving a 20-minute farewell speech on Sept. 14, 2000.