Donovan Slack

USA TODAY

Legendary basketball coach Bobby Knight is slated to appear with Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump at a rally in Indiana this week, the Trump campaign announced Monday.

While Knight has not commented on a potential endorsement, his support for Trump has been known for months. During a New York Times interview last fall, Knight called Trump and said over speakerphone: “No one has accomplished more than Mr. Trump has.” And Trump hinted Saturday that the coach who once famously threw a chair across the court would be campaigning for him in Indiana.

The announcement Monday just makes it official. Trump and Knight will appear at Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis Wednesday evening, the campaign said.

Knight could provide a boost to Trump’s campaign heading into the Indiana primary next Tuesday. The RealClearPolitics polling average shows Trump leading Cruz 39.3%-33% in the state, but it’s unclear if a pact between Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich puts that margin in jeopardy. Kasich, who currently has 19.3% in the polling average, had said that he would cede Indiana to Cruz (although he told voters there Monday to vote for him).

Knight is arguably one of the most well-known — albeit controversial — figures in Indiana history. He led Indiana University to three national championships and amassed one of the winningest records in history during his tenure as coach from 1971 to 2000. But he was also bombastic and was fired after conflicts with university officials, students and players.