Dan Dakich: "He got to the Elite Eight with guys like me": When Dan Dakich reflected on former Indiana HC Bob Knight's coaching prowess

Bob Knight is a coaching legend, and his dominance hasn't gone unnoticed among the players he coached. Knight began his coaching career at Army before taking over at Indiana in 1971 and leading the Hoosiers until 2000, when he moved on to Texas Tech. He retired with 902 career victories, making him the all-time leader at the time.

At Indiana, he won three national championships and one NIT. Under Knight's leadership, the Hoosiers won 11 Big Ten regular-season championships and advanced to five Final Fours. Indiana went unbeaten in 1975-76 and remains the last undefeated team in Division I men's basketball.

In June 2023, former Indiana guard Dan Dakich reflected on Knight's impact in a YouTube short.

"[Knight] is the best basketball coach ever in NCAA basketball," Dakich said. "He got to the Elite Eight with guys like me; he won a national championship with a guy like [Steve] Alford."

Dakich reflected on some of Knight's iconic teams and players and the culture the veteran coach built at Indiana.

"It was unbelievable," Dakich said. "He didn't need the best players."

Syndication: Lubbock Avalanche-Journal - Source: Imagn

Knight was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991 while still coaching at Indiana. He died on November 1, 2023, and is remembered as one of the greatest coaches in college basketball history.

Syndication: The Herald-Times - Source: Imagn

Dan Dakich inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame

Dan Dakich played under Knight at Indiana from 1981-85. The Hoosiers made NCAA Tournament appearances in three of those four years, winning the regular season conference championship in 1983 and making a March Madness run to the Elite Eight in 1984.

Dakich was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024.

NCAA Basketball: Wisconsin at Iowa - Source: Imagn

Dakich, an Indiana native, found success at the high school and college basketball levels. With the Hoosiers, the guard averaged 3.6 points per game, shooting 51.7%.

He returned to Indiana to serve as a graduate assistant before coaching at Bowling Green (1997-2006). Dakich returned to his alma mater once more to be the interim head coach at Indiana in 2008.

Dakich is one of many basketball players that Knight helped lead to greatness in his lengthy, impressive career.

About the author

Lindsey Ware is a college sports journalist at Sportskeeda with over five years of experience working with publications such as The News & Observer, The Daily Tar Heel, Triangle Tribune and Cardiac Cane. She has also worked for Major League Baseball, The Holly Springs Salamanders, The Tri-City Chili Peppers, Tuffy Talk, Super Meteors Basketball, Just Good Network and Living Sport.

Lindsey has a Bachelor’s Degree in Media and Journalism from UNC Chapel Hill. Her education allowed Lindsey to gain experience in sports communication, which she honed in internships. Other than being a storyteller and sports fanatic, Lindsey is also a social media and marketing specialist.

Her favorite college team is UNC, although she grew up a N.C. State fan as both of her parents are Wolfpack alumni. Michael Jordan was a huge deal in North Carolina when Lindsey was growing up, and after a summer spent at UNC’s Sports Journalism Camp back in high school, Lindsey was set on being a Tar Heel.

Lindsey's favorite college coach of all time is Roy Williams. During her time attending UNC Chapel Hill and writing for The Daily Tar Heel, Lindsey was lucky enough to meet and speak with Williams a few times. He was like a celebrity on UNC’s campus and was beloved for his coaching style and success with the Tar Heels, accumulating three NCAA championship titles in 18 years.

When not watching or writing about sports, Lindsey enjoys reading, trying new restaurants and coffee shops, and spending time with my friends, family and dog. She also likes to journal, watch movies and paint.

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Edited by Krutik Jain