Bob Knight: The man who discovered 'MJ23' and won three NCAA Championships

Bob Knight, the man who became the face of Indiana basketball, died this month aged 83. His family confirmed his passing on social media.

According to foxsports.com, the statement read: "It is with heavy hearts that we share that Coach Bob Knight passed away at his home in Bloomington surrounded by his family."

"We will continue to celebrate his life and remember him, today and forever as a beloved Husband, Father, Coach, and Friend."

Knight's coaching career started in the 1960s, but he became one of basketball's greatest ever during his 29-year spell as coach of Indiana.

At the time of his retirement from coaching in 2008, Knight had the most wins of any college coach that had ever lived, securing 902 victories in 46 years of coaching.

Since then, he has slipped down to sixth all-time on the coaches' winning list, but his superior record can never taint the great man's legacy.

Knight was at the heart of the Indiana Golden Era, finishing with a record of 662 wins and 239 losses, that included 22 seasons of 20 wins or more.

Knight's unbelievable records were met by accolades for himself, becoming three-time Associated Press and eight-time Big Ten Coach of the Year.

During his reign in Indiana, Knight won the big one, the NCAA Championship, on three occasions, winning the national championship in 1976, 1981, and 1987.

According to essentiallysports.com, ESPN's Stephen A Smith said: "One of the things that people don't even realize about Bobby Knight was so miraculous about his illustrious coaching career is that he only coached one NBA All-Star in his entire career."

"That was Isiah Thomas. He had never coached another NBA All-Star. That level of success bereft of that level of talent, you have to just marvel at it."

To have the sixth most wins of all time and to only coach one all-star is a testament to Bob Knight and how he could make average players be successful in one unit.

'The General' won an NCAA Championship as a player in 1960 alongside NBA greats Jerry Lucas and John Havlicek and also had success as coach of Team USA at the 1984 Olympics.

Knight was one of the first coaches to see NBA GOAT Michael Jordan up close at the Olympics, famously saying: "If I were going to pick the three or four best athletes I've ever seen play basketball, he'd be one of them."

"I think he's the best athlete I've ever seen play basketball, bar none. If I were going to pick people with the best ability I'd ever seen play the game, he'd be one of them. If I wanted to pick the best competitors I'd ever seen play, he'd be one of them."

Knight won an Olympic Gold medal with Jordan, joining Pete Newell and Dean Smith as the only three coaches to win an NCAA title, NIT title, and Olympic Gold. Knight was the first but won't be the last to call 'MJ' the greatest.