2001 in basketball

Professional

Men

2001 NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers over the Philadelphia 76ers 4-1. MVP: Shaquille O'Neal

2000–01 NBA season

Eurobasket: Yugoslavia 78, Turkey 69

Women

WNBA Finals: Los Angeles Sparks over the Charlotte Sting 2-0. MVP: Lisa Leslie

Eurobasket Women: France def. Russia

College

Men

NCAA Division I: Duke University 82, Arizona 72

National Invitation Tournament: University of Tulsa 79, University of Alabama 60

NCAA Division II: Kentucky Wesleyan College 72, Washburn University 63

NCAA Division III: Catholic 76, William Paterson College 62

NAIA Division I: Faulkner University 63, Oklahoma Science & Arts 59

NAIA Division II: Northwestern (Iowa) 82, MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.) 78

Women

NCAA Division I: University of Notre Dame 68, Purdue University 66

NCAA Division II: Cal Poly Pomona 87, North Dakota State University 80 (OT)

NCAA Division III Washington (Mo.) 67, Messiah College 45

NAIA Division I: Oklahoma City University 69, Auburn University Montgomery (Ala.) 52

NAIA Division II Hastings College (Neb.) 73, Cornerstone University (Mich.) 69

Professional

Men

NBA Most Valuable Player Award: Allen Iverson

NBA Rookie of the Year Award: Mike Miller

NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Ben Wallace

NBA Coach of the Year Award: Larry Brown, Philadelphia 76ers

Euroscar Award: Peja Stojaković, Sacramento Kings and FR Yugoslavia

Mr. Europa: Peja Stojaković, Sacramento Kings and FR Yugoslavia

Women

WNBA Most Valuable Player Award: Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks

WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Debbie Black, Miami Sol

WNBA Rookie of the Year Award: Jackie Stiles, Portland Fire

WNBA Most Improved Player Award: Janeth Arcain, Houston Comets

Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award: Sue Wicks, New York Liberty

WNBA Coach of the Year Award: Dan Hughes, Cleveland Rockers

WNBA All-Star Game MVP: Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks

WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award: Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks

Collegiate

Combined

Legends of Coaching Award: Lute Olson, Arizona

Men

John R. Wooden Award: Shane Battier, Duke

Naismith College Coach of the Year: Rod Barnes, Mississippi

Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Rashad Phillips, Detroit

Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year: Shane Battier, Duke

NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player: Juan Dixon, Maryland

USBWA National Freshman of the Year: Eddie Griffin, Seton Hall

Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Matt Doherty, North Carolina

Naismith Outstanding Contribution to Basketball: Tex Winter

Women

Naismith College Player of the Year: Ruth Riley, Notre Dame

Naismith College Coach of the Year: Muffet McGraw, Notre Dame

Wade Trophy: Jackie Stiles, Missouri State

Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Niele Ivey, Notre Dame

Associated Press Women's College Basketball Player of the Year: Ruth Riley, Notre Dame

NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player: Ruth Riley, Notre Dame

Basketball Academic All-America Team: Ruth Riley, Notre Dame

Carol Eckman Award: Juliene B. Simpson, East Stroudsburg University

Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Muffet McGraw, Notre Dame

Nancy Lieberman Award: Sue Bird, Connecticut

Naismith Outstanding Contribution to Basketball: Cathy Rush

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Class of 2001:

John Chaney

Michael "Mike" Krzyzewski

Moses E. Malone

Women's Basketball Hall of Fame

Class of 2001

Van Chancellor

Theresa Grentz

Phyllis Holmes

LaTaunya Pollard

Linda K. Sharp

C. Vivian Stringer

Vanya Voynova

Hazel Walker

Rosie Walker

Holly Warlick

Movies

Pistol Pete: The Life and Times of Pete Maravich

Deaths

January 7 — Ken Durrett, American NBA player and All-American at La Salle University (born 1948)

January 17 — Garland O'Shields, American NBA player (Chicago Stags, Syracuse Nationals) (born 1921)

January 26 — Al McGuire, Hall of Fame coach at Marquette and famed college basketball announcer (born 1928)

February 3 — Bobby Colburn, American NBL player for the Dayton Metropolitans (born 1911)

February 19 — Guy Rodgers, Hall of Fame player for the Philadelphia and San Francisco Warriors (born 1935)

February 20 — Harry Boykoff, former St. John's and early NBA player (born 1922)

April 25 — Clovis Stark, American NBL for the Dayton Metropolitans (born 1914)

April 29 — Andy Phillip, Hall of Fame NBA player (born 1922)

May 15 — Ralph Miller, Hall of Fame college coach at Wichita State, Iowa and Oregon State (born 1919)

June 26 — George Senesky, NBA player and coach for the Philadelphia Warriors (born 1922)

August 1 — Dwight Eddleman, All-American at Illinois and two-time NBA All-Star (born 1922)

September 5 — Cawood Ledford, American radio announcer (Kentucky Wildcats) (born 1926)

September 14 — George Ireland, coach of the 1963 NCAA national champion Loyola Ramblers (born 1913)

October 13 — B. L. Graham, All-American college player and head coach (Ole Miss Rebels) (born 1914)

October 20 — Nebojša Popović, Serbian player, coach and administrator and FIBA Hall of Fame member (born 1923)

November 18 — Renato Righetto, Brazilian referee and FIBA Hall of Fame member (born 1921)

November 23 — Gus Broberg, two-time All-American forward at Dartmouth College (born 1920)

November 28 — Bob Cope, American college coach (Montana) (born 1928)

December 8 — Mirza Delibašić, FIBA Hall of Fame player from Bosnia and 1980 Olympic Gold Medalist (born 1954)

December 10 — Gus Doerner, American NBL player (Fort Wayne Pistons, Indianapolis Kautskys) (born 1922)

December 13 – Larry Costello, American All-Star NBA player (Philadelphia 76ers) (born 1931)