Ex-Pitt Star Knight Interested In University's Athletic Director Job, LINK!
Billy Knight, who followed an All-American Pitt basketball career by spending 11 years as a player and 10 years as an executive in the ABA and NBA, said he has interest in returning to the university as its next athletic director.
"Sure, I do," said Knight from his Atlanta home. "Some people have talked to me about it, asked me if I had interest. I told them I have some interest."
Knight, who was born and raised in Braddock, declined to identify those who approached him, other than to label them "alumni and people around Pitt."
Through a spokesman, Chancellor Patrick Gallagher had no comment on Knight's interest in the position. No interviews have been conducted, the spokesman said.
If hired, Knight would become one of only a few black college athletic directors. A study released in July by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida identified 12 black athletic directors among 125 FBS schools (9.6 percent) as of October 2013.
Knight, 62, is one of four Pitt basketball players to have his jersey (34) retired. During his senior season in 1973-74, he led the Panthers to a school-record 22 consecutive victories and their first Elite Eight appearance.
"My time was very rewarding at the University of Pittsburgh," Knight said.
Knight said he has not met Gallagher, who succeeded Mark Nordenberg as chancellor in August 2013.
He said he likes the direction of the athletic department but wouldn't comment on plans he might undertake as athletic director.
"It's not my position to say," he said. "The university is in a good position all the way around. I'm very happy and elated with the state of the university. I don't have any get-rich quick schemes for the university that is greater than anything they got."
Knight began his 11-year professional playing career in 1974 when he was selected in the first round of the ABA Draft by the Indiana Pacers.
After he retired as a player, he went to work for the Pacers in a variety of positions, including coaching, scouting, broadcasting and player personnel. He was the Pacers' senior vice president of basketball operations in 1998 and '99 before serving as general manager of the Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies for two seasons and the Atlanta Hawks for six. Since resigning as Hawks GM in 2008, he has been working as a part-time NBA scout.
"I'm taking it easy," he said, "living off the fat of the land and getting fat and sassy."
He was in Pittsburgh last month when he was inducted into the Pittsburgh Basketball Club's Hall of Fame. He also attended the Pitt/Louisville game the next day when he was introduced to the crowd at Petersen Events Center.
During the Hall of Fame banquet, he said he is working on returning to Pittsbugh, which would bring his life "full circle."
Former Pitt teammate Kirk Bruce, now an associate athletic director at the school, said Knight's "personality just jumps right out at you."
"He gets along with just about everybody. He has managed a lot of people in his NBA positions," Bruce said. "He knows people and he knows how to read people and people get a good vibe from him."
Jerry DiPaola is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at @JDiPaola_Trib.
Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/college/pitt/7757990-74/knight-pitt-athletic#ixzz3RVSRvJdA
Billy Knight, who followed an All-American Pitt basketball career by spending 11 years as a player and 10 years as an executive in the ABA and NBA, said he has interest in returning to the university as its next athletic director.
"Sure, I do," said Knight from his Atlanta home. "Some people have talked to me about it, asked me if I had interest. I told them I have some interest."
Knight, who was born and raised in Braddock, declined to identify those who approached him, other than to label them "alumni and people around Pitt."
Through a spokesman, Chancellor Patrick Gallagher had no comment on Knight's interest in the position. No interviews have been conducted, the spokesman said.
If hired, Knight would become one of only a few black college athletic directors. A study released in July by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida identified 12 black athletic directors among 125 FBS schools (9.6 percent) as of October 2013.
Knight, 62, is one of four Pitt basketball players to have his jersey (34) retired. During his senior season in 1973-74, he led the Panthers to a school-record 22 consecutive victories and their first Elite Eight appearance.
"My time was very rewarding at the University of Pittsburgh," Knight said.
Knight said he has not met Gallagher, who succeeded Mark Nordenberg as chancellor in August 2013.
He said he likes the direction of the athletic department but wouldn't comment on plans he might undertake as athletic director.
"It's not my position to say," he said. "The university is in a good position all the way around. I'm very happy and elated with the state of the university. I don't have any get-rich quick schemes for the university that is greater than anything they got."
Knight began his 11-year professional playing career in 1974 when he was selected in the first round of the ABA Draft by the Indiana Pacers.
After he retired as a player, he went to work for the Pacers in a variety of positions, including coaching, scouting, broadcasting and player personnel. He was the Pacers' senior vice president of basketball operations in 1998 and '99 before serving as general manager of the Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies for two seasons and the Atlanta Hawks for six. Since resigning as Hawks GM in 2008, he has been working as a part-time NBA scout.
"I'm taking it easy," he said, "living off the fat of the land and getting fat and sassy."
He was in Pittsburgh last month when he was inducted into the Pittsburgh Basketball Club's Hall of Fame. He also attended the Pitt/Louisville game the next day when he was introduced to the crowd at Petersen Events Center.
During the Hall of Fame banquet, he said he is working on returning to Pittsbugh, which would bring his life "full circle."
Former Pitt teammate Kirk Bruce, now an associate athletic director at the school, said Knight's "personality just jumps right out at you."
"He gets along with just about everybody. He has managed a lot of people in his NBA positions," Bruce said. "He knows people and he knows how to read people and people get a good vibe from him."
Jerry DiPaola is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at @JDiPaola_Trib.
Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/college/pitt/7757990-74/knight-pitt-athletic#ixzz3RVSRvJdA
