Bob Knight not a candidate for Western Kentucky basketball opening

4/3/2008 1:33 PM

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) -Bob Knight is not a candidate for the basketball opening at Western Kentucky.

Athletic director Wood Selig said Thursday there was no truth to speculation that Knight would replace Darrin Horn, who left this week to become coach at South Carolina.

University president Gary Ransdell and Selig came forward Wednesday night to address the situation after hearing various reports that Knight was spotted in the area on Tuesday.

``We were getting inundated and it was hampering our entire search process,'' Selig said Thursday in a phone interview. ``There was never any contact, direct or indirect, between WKU and coach Knight.''

Selig said he wasn't sure how the rumor got started, though he was ``flattered'' Knight's name would be mentioned with the school.

Knight didn't rule out a return to coaching while speaking Wednesday night at a forum in College Station, Texas.

``I don't know,'' Knight said. ``I enjoyed coaching (but) I like fishing. I like helping my wife around the house ... nobody could have enjoyed coaching and the people I've gotten to know more than I have.''

Knight resigned from Texas Tech in February as the winningest men's coach in NCAA Division I history with 902 victories. He'll do analysis for ESPN of the Final Four in San Antonio this weekend.

Selig said he expects to bring in four or five candidates for on-campus interviews and hopes to select Horn's replacement in the next 10 days.