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Indiana basketball's All-Bob Knight starting five

michael niziolek, the herald-times
·5 min read

BLOOMINGTON — The list of all-time greats who played for Indiana basketball would be a lot shorter without Bobby Knight’s players.

During his 29-year tenure, he coached 16 All-Americans (seven consensus first-teamers), had nine players who won Big Ten MVP honors and 39 players taken in the NBA Draft.

Knight passed away on Wednesday at the age of 83.

One aspect of Knight’s legacy that isn’t in dispute was his success recruiting and developing players. That’s what makes picking an all-time team with players from his near three-decades in Bloomington so difficult.

There are plenty of debates to be had especially in a loaded backcourt, but The Herald-Times waded through the numbers to pick an all-time starting five, take a look:

Point Guard: Isaiah Thomas

  • Years: 1979-81

  • Hoosiers record: 47-17 (27-9 Big Ten)

  • Tournament results: Sweet Sixteen (1979-80), NCAA Championship (1980-81)

  • Collegiate stats: 15.4 points per game (53.4% FG), 3.5 rebounds per game, 5.7 assists per game, 2.2 steals per game

  • Accolades: Consensus first-team All-American (1981), NCAA Final Four most outstanding player (1981)

"Pee Wee" as Knight affectionately called him was the player most closely linked to the famed coach.

While the two clashed early in Thomas career, Knight helped mold him into one of the best point guards in basketball history.

Thomas was the face of the program during his two years in Bloomington and made an immediate impact by earning first-team All-Big Ten honors, the first for a true freshman.

As team captain as a sophomore in 1981, he led the program to a national title and tournament MVP honors. His 5.8 assists per game that year were a team record and he also set the career assist record, records that still stand today.

Shooting guard: Steve Alford

  • Years: 1983-87

  • Hoosiers record: 92-35

  • Tournament results: NCAA Championship (1986–87)

  • Collegiate stats: 19.5 points per game (53.3%), 2.8 rebounds per game, 3.6 assists per game, 1.1 steals per game

  • Accolades: First-team All-American (1986, 1987), Big Ten MVP (1987)

Alford has maybe the most decorated resume of any Indiana basketball player. He dominated the Big Ten conference during his time in Bloomington and was widely recognized as one the nation's top players.

He started all but five games (120 start) and never averaged less than 36 minutes per game during his four-year career, and was the first ever player named team MVP four times.

Alford closed out his career by leading the Hoosiers to their fifth national championship with 23 points (7 of 10 from 3-point range) in a 74-73 win over Syracuse.

Small forward: Scott May

  • Years: 1973-76

  • Hoosiers record: 86-6

  • Tournament results: NCAA Championship (1976)

  • Collegiate stats: 17.7 points per game (51.3%), 7.7 rebounds per game, 2.1 assists per game

  • Accolades: Naismith College Player of the Year (1976), Adolphy Rupp Trophy (1976), First-team All-American (1975-1976)

One of the most impactful players for the undefeated 1976 Hoosiers team. He averaged career-highs across the board that year with 23.5 points per game and 7.7 rebounds and was recognized as the best player in college basketball.

If May doesn't break his arm in the tournament against Kentucky the prior year, IU likely wins back-to-back titles.

Power forward: Alan Henderson

  • Years: 1991-95

  • Hoosiers record: 98-32 (54-18 Big Ten)

  • Tournament results: Final Four (1991-92), Elite Eight (1992-93), Sweet Sixteen (1993-94)

  • Collegiate stats: 16.0 points per game (54%), 8.8 rebounds per game, 1.1 assists per game, 1.2 steals per game, 1.7 blocks per game

Henderson filled up the stat sheet like few others.

The forward is the only player in Indiana history to rank in the top five all-time in rebounds, steals and blocks. He led the team in rebounding all four years he played and was the all-time record holder in the category until Trayce Jackson-Davis passed him last year.

The 23.5 points per game he averaged in 1995 was the highest for any player in Knight's tenure and his 59.7% field goal percentage that year still ranks 2nd all-time.

He was an immediate contributor for Knight starting 26 games as a true freshman and averaged double-digits on a team that reached the Final Four. Henderson rarely left the court as an upperclassman averaging more than 30 minutes a game from 1993-95.

Center: Kent Benson

  • Years: 1973-77

  • Hoosiers record: 102-17 (59-9)

  • Tournament results: Regional final (1974-75), NCAA Champions (1975-76)

  • Collegiate stats: 15.3 points (53.6%) 9.0 rebounds per game, 1.3 assists per game

  • Accolades: Consensus first-team All-American (1976, 1977), NCAA Final Four most outstanding player (1976)

Benson probably has the biggest cushion between him and the next best center Knight coached.

The 6-foot-11 New Castle native was named the most outstanding player during Indiana’s perfect season in 1976.

That alone would give him a strong argument to be on the list, but he was far from a one-hit wonder. He averaged 15.3 points (53.6%) and 9.0 rebounds per game as a four-year starter. He still ranks fourth all-time in rebounds (1,031).

He was named captain as a senior in 1977 and averaged a double-double (19.8 points and 10.5 rebounds) while playing 36 minutes per game. He was named league MVP that year and earned consensus first-team All-American honors for a second time.

Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on Twitter @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Bobby Knight’s best players from his legendary run with IU basketball