2003 in basketball

Professional

Men

2003 NBA Finals: San Antonio Spurs over the New Jersey Nets 4-2. MVP: Tim Duncan (More information can be found at 2003-04 NBA season.)

2002-03 NBA season

2003 NBA Playoffs

Eurobasket: Lithuania 93, Spain 84

Women

WNBA: Detroit Shock over Los Angeles Sparks 2-1. MVP: Ruth Riley

Eurobasket Women: Russia def. Czech Republic

College

Men

NCAA Division I: University of Syracuse 81, University of Kansas 78

National Invitation Tournament: University of Michigan

NCAA Division II: Northeastern State University 75, Kentucky Wesleyan College 64

NCAA Division III: Williams College 67, Gustavus Adolphus College 65

NAIA Division I Concordia 88, Mountain State 84 OT

NAIA Division II Oregon Tech 81, Bellevue (Neb.) 70

Women

NCAA Division I: University of Connecticut 73, University of Tennessee 68

NCAA Division II: South Dakota State 65, Northern Kentucky University 60

NCAA Division III Trinity University (Tex.) 60, Eastern Connecticut State 58

NAIA Division I: Southern Nazarene (Okla.) 71, Oklahoma City University 70

NAIA Division II Hastings (Neb.) 59, Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 53

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Class of 2003:

Leon Barmore

Francis D. "Chick" Hearn

Earl F. Lloyd

Meadowlark Lemon

Dino Meneghin

Robert L. Parish

James A. Worthy

Women's Basketball Hall of Fame

Class of 2003

Leon Barmore

Tara Heiss

Claude Hutcherson

Patsy Neal

Doris Rogers

Marsha Sharp

Professional

Men

NBA Most Valuable Player Award: Tim Duncan

NBA Rookie of the Year Award: Amar'e Stoudemire

NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Ben Wallace

NBA Coach of the Year Award: Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs

Euroscar Award: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks and  Germany

Mr. Europa: Šarūnas Jasikevičius, Maccabi Tel Aviv and  Lithuania (also FC Barcelona)

Women

WNBA Most Valuable Player Award: Lauren Jackson, Seattle Storm

WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Sheryl Swoopes, Houston Comets

WNBA Rookie of the Year Award: Cheryl Ford, Detroit Shock

WNBA Most Improved Player Award: Michelle Snow, Houston Comets

Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award: Edna Campbell, Sacramento Monarchs

WNBA Coach of the Year Award: Bill Laimbeer, Detroit Shock

WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award: Ruth Riley, Detroit Shock

Collegiate

Combined

Legends of Coaching Award: Roy Williams, Kansas

Men

John R. Wooden Award: T. J. Ford, Texas

Naismith College Coach of the Year: Tubby Smith, Kentucky

Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Jason Gardner, Arizona

Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year: David West, Xavier

NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player: Emeka Okafor, Connecticut

USBWA National Freshman of the Year: Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse

Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Tubby Smith, Kentucky

Naismith Outstanding Contribution to Basketball: Charles “Lefty” Driesell

Women

Naismith College Player of the Year: Diana Taurasi, Connecticut

Naismith College Coach of the Year: Gail Goestenkors, Duke

Wade Trophy: Diana Taurasi, Connecticut

Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Kara Lawson, Tennessee

Associated Press Women's College Basketball Player of the Year: Diana Taurasi, Connecticut

NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player: Diana Taurasi, UConn

Basketball Academic All-America Team: Kristine Austgulen, VCU

Carol Eckman Award: Marsha Sharp, Texas Tech University

USBWA National Freshman of the Year: Seimone Augustus, LSU

Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Geno Auriemma, Connecticut

List of Senior CLASS Award women's basketball winners: LaToya Thomas, Mississippi State

Nancy Lieberman Award: Diana Taurasi, Connecticut

Naismith Outstanding Contribution to Basketball: Betty Jaynes

Deaths

January 20 — Dan King, American NBA player (Baltimore Bullets) (born 1931)

February 9 — John Hyder, American college coach (Georgia Tech) (born 1912)

March 29 — Carl Ridd, Canadian Olympic player (1952) (born 1929)

April 16 — Jewell Young, All-American college player (Purdue), NBL player (Indianapolis Kautskys, Oshkosh All-Stars) (born 1913)

May 14 — Dave DeBusschere, American Hall of Fame NBA player (New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons) (born 1940)

May 14 — Al Fleming, American NBA player (Seattle SuperSonics) (born 1954)

May 23 — Weenie Miller, American college coach (VMI) (born 1922)

May 29 — Anthony Frederick, American NBA player (Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings, Charlotte Hornets) (born 1964)

June 16 — David Polansky, American college coach (CCNY) (born 1919)

June 22 — John Mandic, American NBA player (born 1919)

September 20 — Ernie Calverley, All-American player and coach at Rhode Island (born 1924)

October 16 — Chet Jaworski, All-American player (Rhode Island) (born 1916)

October 23 — Kevin Magee, Former All-American at UC Irvine and Maccabi Tel Aviv player (born 1959)

October 30 — Stan Szukala, American NBL player (Chicago Bruins, Chicago American Gears) (born 1918)

November 21 — Bill Haarlow, American NBL player (Whiting Ciesar All-Americans) (born 1913)

December 8 — Chuck Noe, American college coach (VMI, Virginia Tech, South Carolina, VCU) (born 1924)

December 9 — Norm Sloan, College basketball coach of the 1974 national champion NC State Wolfpack (born 1926)

December 26 — Gale Bishop, All-American college (Washington State) and BAA (Philadelphia Warriors) player (born 1922)