Golf: Knight meets childhood hero

His father is one of the best college basketball coaches in history.

He has spent his life around the sport, met some of its most influential people, and landed a job coaching Division I basketball in the Big 12 Conference.

And Pat Knight still found himself shaking like a first-grader hoping for an autograph on Monday when he finally met former NBA standout Larry Johnson at Odessa Country Club.

"I had his poster in my room when I was in high school," Knight said. "I've met everybody in basketball but Larry, and to finally meet him is a dream come true."

Knight came to Odessa to play in the third Larry Johnson Celebrity Golf Tournament. As the head basketball coach at Texas Tech, Knight spent the day posing for pictures and signing autographs along with Johnson, a former Odessa College player, and Detroit Lions wide receiver Roy Williams, a Permian graduate.

But Knight is heading back to Lubbock like any other fan, tightly clutching a picture of Johnson and himself like it is a lottery check.

"You can be the head coach or just a fan, but just to meet a guy like Larry, your feelings still don't change," Knight said.

The picture will be posted on Knight's personal Wall of Fame in his garage, a wall that includes pictures with Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson - and Adam Sandler.

Now, he can add his favorite player to the list.

"Coach Knight is a heck of a dude," Johnson said. "He doesn't put just anybody up on his wall."

Being Bobby Knight's son can put fame into perspective in a hurry.

Knight took over as Tech's head basketball coach when his father retired in February, and he already has begun to learn that a man in his position has to watch what he says.

Bobby Knight's words often insulted reporters and created scandals, but fans should not expect the same from his son.

Knight has learned most of what he knows about dealing with the media from his father.

"He's always told me to do things different than he did," Knight said. "I've had the best teacher, not just in basketball but in life in general, on what to do and what not to do."

First-year coaches are information sponges, soaking up every tip they can get from more experienced sources, but Knight has a few advantages that most rookie coaches would love to have.

Besides the advice he gets from his father, who retired with the most wins in the history of Division I men's basketball, Knight takes calls from Duke's Mike Krzyzewski. He is channeling every piece of advice he can get into next season, his first full season as Tech's head coach.

His father doesn't offer much basketball advice, but Knight is sure there are things about his coaching style that his dad doesn't like.

"When a new guy takes over, he has to be his own man and do things to his liking," Knight said. "It's always nice to know you have a Hall of Fame coach in the background to help you out."

Tech finished the season by posting a 4-7 mark under Knight, but former Tech players have embraced the first-year coach, according to Kasib Powell, a former Red Raiders forward who now plays for the Miami Heat.

"He's a player-person, and now in this age, it's a big thing for players to get along with their coach," Powell said. "He's such a laid-back guy that everybody gets along with him."

Turn Tech into a national power, and Knight will have his own place on somebody else's Wall of Fame.