2002 in basketball
Championships
World Championship
Professional
College
- Men
- *NCAA Division I: Maryland 64, Indiana 52
- *National Invitation Tournament: University of Memphis
- *NCAA Division II: Metropolitan State College of Denver 80, Kentucky Wesleyan College 72
- *NCAA Division III: Otterbein College 102, Elizabethtown College 83
- *NAIA Division I Oklahoma Science & Arts 96, Oklahoma Baptist University 79
- *NAIA Division II Evangel 84, Robert Morris 61
- Women
- *NCAA Division I: University of Connecticut 82, Oklahoma 70
- *Women's National Invitation Tournament: University of Oregon
- *NCAA Division II: Cal Poly Pomona 74, [Southeastern University of Oklahoma|Oklahoma State University|Southeastern Oklahoma] 62
- *NCAA Division III Wis.-Stevens Point 67, St. Lawrence 65
- *NAIA Division I: Oklahoma City 82, Southern Nazarene 73
- *NAIA Division II Hastings 73, Cornerstone 69
Awards and honors
Professional
- Men
- *NBA Most Valuable Player Award: Tim Duncan
- *NBA Rookie of the Year Award: Pau Gasol
- *NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Ben Wallace
- *NBA Coach of the Year Award: Rick Carlisle, Detroit Pistons
- *Euroscar Award: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks and
- *Mr. Europa: Peja Stojaković, Sacramento Kings and Serbia and Montenegro
- Women
- *WNBA Most Valuable Player Award: Sheryl Swoopes, Houston Comets
- *WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Sheryl Swoopes, Houston Comets
- *WNBA Rookie of the Year Award: Tamika Catchings, Indiana Fever
- *WNBA Most Improved Player Award: Coco Miller, Washington Mystics
- *Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award: Jennifer Gillom, Phoenix Mercury
- *WNBA Coach of the Year Award: Marianne Stanley, Washington Mystics
- *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: Denny Crum, Louisville
- Men
- *John R. Wooden Award: Jay Williams, Duke
- *Naismith College Coach of the Year: Ben Howland, Pittsburgh
- *Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Steve Logan, Cincinnati
- *Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year: Jay Williams, Duke
- *NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player: Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse
- *USBWA National Freshman of the Year: T. J. Ford, Texas
- *Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Ben Howland, Pittsburgh
- *Naismith Outstanding Contribution to Basketball: Don Haskins
- Women
- *Naismith College Player of the Year: Sue Bird, Connecticut
- *Naismith College Coach of the Year: Geno Auriemma, Connecticut
- *Wade Trophy: Sue Bird, Connecticut
- *Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Sheila Lambert, Baylor
- *Associated Press Women's College Basketball Player of the Year: Sue Bird, Connecticut
- *NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player: Swin Cash, UConn
- *Basketball Academic All-America Team: Stacey Dales-Schuman, Oklahoma
- *Carol Eckman Award: Barbara Stevens, Bentley College
- *Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Brenda Oldfield, Minnesota
- *List of Senior CLASS Award women's basketball winners: Sue Bird, Connecticut
- *Nancy Lieberman Award: Sue Bird, Connecticut
- *Naismith Outstanding Contribution to Basketball: Billie Moore
Movies
Deaths
- January 6 — Fred Taylor, Hall of Fame coach of the 1960 National Champion Ohio State Buckeyes
- January 7 — Geoff Crompton, American NBA player
- January 18 — Alex Hannum, Hall of Fame pro basketball coach
- January 26 — Milt Ticco, American NBL player
- February 2 — Ed Jucker, American college coach
- February 13 — Bob Gerber, American NBL player
- February 21 — Gene Sullivan, American college coach
- March 11 — Al Bonniwell, American NBL player
- March 18 — Don Betourne, American NBL player and coach
- May 5 — Jimmy Smith, American college All-American
- June 3 — Cecil Hankins, NBA player
- June 22 — Bobby Roberts, American college coach.
- July 7 — Bison Dele, NBA player
- July 17 — Ubiratan Pereira Maciel, Hall of Fame Brazilian basketball player
- July 27 — Billy McCann, 82, American college coach.
- August 8 — Chick Hearn, television and radio announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers
- September 2 — Abe Lemons, American college coach
- September 7 — Edward Spotovich, American NBL player
- September 14 — Jim Barnes, Former #1 overall NBA draft pick and 1964 Olympic Gold medalist
- September 23 — Jule Rivlin, American NBL player and college coach
- December 17 — Bobby Joe Hill, American college national champion at Texas Western
- December 17 — Hank Luisetti, college basketball player and inventor of the layup; first player to score 50 points in a game