The Indiana House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday that proposes renaming part of State Road 45 after former Indiana men’s basketball coach Bob Knight. The resolution will now head to the Senate.
The resolution would urge the Indiana Department of Transportation to rename the stretch of SR 45 between College Avenue and Fee Lane to the “Bob Knight Memorial Way.”
Knight died Nov. 1, 2023. He coached the Hoosiers from 1971 to 2000, leading them to three National Championships and 11 Big Ten Championships. He also coached the United States’ men’s Olympic basketball team when it won a gold medal in 1984.
Rep. Peggy Mayfield, a Republican representing parts of Monroe, Johnson and Morgan Counties, authored the resolution. It was co-authored by Rep. Bob Heaton, a Republican who represents a small part of Bloomington.
"Bobby Knight is a legendary name in Indiana and across the college basketball landscape," Mayfield said in a press release. "A road renamed in his honor will ensure his legacy and contributions to Indiana University, college basketball and the state of Indiana live on for years to come."
Nicknamed “The General,” Knight was fired in 2000 for violating IU’s zero-tolerance policy for continued inappropriate behavior, including throwing a chair during a game, allegedly verbally abusing a university official and allegedly choking a former player during practice.
If the resolution passes the Senate, INDOT can move forward with the renaming, according to the release.
