1997 in basketball
Championships
Professional
College
- Men
- *NCAA
- **Division I: University of Arizona 84, University of Kentucky 79
- **National Invitation Tournament: University of Michigan def. Florida State University
- **Division II: Cal State Bakersfield 57, Northern Kentucky University 56
- **Division III: Illinois Wesleyan University 89, Nebraska Wesleyan University 86
- *NAIA
- **NAIA Division I: Life University 73, Oklahoma Baptist University 64
- **NAIA Division II: Bethel College (Indiana) 95, Siena Heights College 94
- *NJCAA
- **NJCAA Division I: Indian Hills CC, Ottumwa, Iowa 89, San Jacinto College, 80
- Women
- *NCAA
- **Division I: University of Tennessee 68, Old Dominion University 59
- **Division II: North Dakota State University 94, University of Southern Indiana 78
- **Division III New York University 72, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire 70
- *NAIA
- **NAIA Division I: Southern Nazarene University 78 Union College
- **NAIA Division II Northwest Nazarene University 64, Black Hills State University 46
- *NJCAA
- **Division I Trinity Valley CC 79, Central Florida CC 69
- **Division II Kirkwood CC 76, Carl Sandburg College 67
- **Division III Anoka-Ramsey CC 80, Monroe CC 57
Preps
Bloomington North defeats Delta to win Indiana's last open-class basketball state championship.
Awards and honors
Professional
Collegiate
- Men
- *John R. Wooden Award: Tim Duncan, Wake Forest
- *Naismith College Coach of the Year: Roy Williams, Kansas
- *Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Brevin Knight, Stanford
- *Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year: Tim Duncan, Wake Forest
- *NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player: Jeff Sheppard, Kentucky
- *Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Clem Haskins, Minnesota
- *Naismith Outstanding Contribution to Basketball: Phog Allen
- Women
- *Naismith College Player of the Year: Kate Starbird, Stanford
- *Naismith College Coach of the Year: Geno Auriemma, Connecticut
- *Wade Trophy: DeLisha Milton, Florida
- *Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Jennifer Howard, NC State
- *Associated Press Women's College Basketball Player of the Year: Kara Wolters, Connecticut
- *NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player: Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee
- *Carol Eckman Award: Amy Ruley, North Dakota State University
- *Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Geno Auriemma, Connecticut
Events
- WNBA played its first season.
Movies
Deaths