Bob Knight was back in Indiana for a taped interview with an old fishing buddy. The interview touched on many topics, but his response to coaches and programs that cheat in recruiting in college basketball was, interesting.
When asked for his take on cheating in recruiting, the former ESPN guest analyst for this year's NCAA Tournament said: "If you get caught cheating, they should shoot you. Because you're too dumb to be alive."
His point being, that there is such a gray area in recruiting and it is very hard to prove intent to circumvent the rules. It's a great point. The NCAA has a prohibition on hiring people, or paying close connections for purposes of getting a particular recruit. Yet AAU coaches are regularly paid to come and speak at a coach's summer camp. Hiring fathers, cousins or brothers as part of a coaching staff happens all the time. It's done, though, before any commitment is made by the recruit. The NCAA has no real way to prove there was intent or any quid pro quo.
He touches on other topics such as cutting Charles Barkley from the Olympic team. Here's a few of the segments.
