Bob Knight Indiana Hoosiers 1986-1987 NCAA Championship Ring | 3rd NCAA Championship

Steiner Sports, 

Private Collector

Sotheby’s is proud to offer Bob Knight’s 1987 Indiana University NCAA National Championship Ring. 

Known for his demanding style, defensive discipline, and emphasis on execution, Knight guided a veteran Indiana team through a challenging season and one of the most competitive NCAA Tournaments of the era.

Led on the court by Steve Alford, the Hoosiers reached the championship game against Syracuse Orange men's basketball. With the title on the line, Indiana prevailed 74–73 after Keith Smart hit the game-winning jumper with five seconds remaining. Knight's tactical adjustments, ability to manage pressure situations, and leadership throughout the tournament were instrumental in the Hoosiers' success.

The 1987 championship cemented Knight's legacy as one of college basketball's greatest coaches, and the title remains the most recent NCAA men's basketball championship in Indiana program history.

Bob Knight is widely regarded as one of the most successful and influential coaches in college basketball history. Across a 42-year head coaching career at United States Military Academy, Indiana University, and Texas Tech University, Knight compiled 902 victories, won three NCAA Championships, and became known for his disciplined, defense-first approach to the game.

Knight's greatest success came at Indiana, where he led the Hoosiers to national championships in 1976, 1981, and 1987. His 1975–76 team remains the last undefeated men's NCAA Division I national champion, finishing a perfect 32–0 season. During his 29 years in Bloomington, he also won 11 Big Ten titles and helped establish Indiana as one of college basketball's premier programs.

Beyond the college game, Knight coached the United States men's basketball team to a gold medal at the 1984 Olympic Games and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991. His motion offense, emphasis on fundamentals, and demanding coaching style influenced generations of players and coaches, making him one of the defining figures in the history of the sport.