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Anonymous
A coach who, at 67, declared he was too tired to continue coaching Texas Tech and resigned with 10 games remaining on the schedule, plus the Big 12 Tournament and any postseason events that would want the Red Raiders.
Who, since 1995, owns a 5-10 NCAA Tournament record that includes six first-round eliminations.
Who lost NCAA Tournament games during that stretch to Jan van Breda Kolff, Jim O'Brien and Mike Jarvis, none of whom currently is a Division I head coach.
Who hasn't signed a McDonald's All-American since Jared Jeffries was lured to Indiana in 2000 and who had two such players in the late-90s -- Jason Collier and Neil Reed -- transfer away from the Hoosiers.
Who, according to Scout.com, committed 20 high school prospects in his last five classes as Texas Tech who were not rated among the top 25 players at their positions -- and only one who was.
Who I've not spotted at one of the Las Vegas summer tournaments since 2001, his first year on the job at Texas Tech. Knight was recruiting Kyle Wilson of Dallas that year. He didn't get him. (Wilson chose Illinois, then transferred and played for a Sweet 16 team at Wichita State). Now, those Vegas events are spread out all over the place. And, to be fair, I was usually watching the best players, so it might have been that Knight was off at some distant gym watching the 33rd-best player in Texas.
The Knight whom his most ardent loyalists want to hire at Indiana is a fantasy. He still is a genius, still the greatest teacher and clinician the game has ever known, but great players know his reputation -- for how he treats his players and not exactly cranking out future NBAers -- and aren't eager to play for him. And because Knight is not working the recruiting trail like a Roy Williams or Billy Donovan, he is easily avoided by the best talents.
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