2012 in basketball
Tournaments include international, professional and amateur and collegiate levels.
National team tournaments
2012 Olympic Basketball Tournament
Men
*Women
*2012 FIBA Under-17 World Championships
Men
Women
Other FIBA-sanctioned tournaments
Men:Professional club seasons
Continental championships
Men:- Euroleague:
- * Olympiacos CSKA Moscow FC Barcelona Regal
- **Euroleague MVP: Andrei Kirilenko, CSKA Moscow
- **Euroleague Final Four MVP: Vassilis Spanoulis, Olympiacos
- **Alphonso Ford Trophy : Bo McCalebb, Montepaschi Siena
- Eurocup:
- * Khimki Valencia Basket Lietuvos rytas
- EuroChallenge:
- * Beşiktaş Milangaz Élan Chalon Triumph Lyubertsy
Domestic league seasons for men
Domestic league seasons for women
- WNBA
- *Season:
- ** Eastern Conference: Indiana Fever
- ** Western Conference: Minnesota Lynx
- * Finals: The Fever defeat the Lynx 3–1 in the best-of-5 series.
College seasons for men
College seasons for women
- NCAA
- *Division I: [2011–12 Baylor University|Baylor Lady Bears basketball team|Baylor] 80, Notre Dame 61
- ** Baylor becomes the first team in NCAA basketball history to win 40 games in a season.
- ** Most Outstanding Player: Brittney Griner, Baylor
- *WNIT: Oklahoma State 75, James Madison 68
- *Women's Basketball Invitational:
- *Division II: Shaw 88, Ashland 82
- *Division III: Illinois Wesleyan 57, George Fox 43
- NAIA
- *NAIA Division I:
- *NAIA Division II:
- NJCAA
- * Division I:Trinity Valley Community College 69, Hutchinson Community College 55
- * Division II:Monroe College 78, Lake Michigan College 73
- * Division III:Rock Valley College 82, Roxbury Community College 64
- UAAP Women's: FEU defeated La Salle in two games to win their second consecutive champion and finish an undefeated season.
Prep
- USA Today Boys Basketball Ranking #1:
- USA Today Girls Basketball Ranking #1:
- NCAA (Philippines) Juniors: defeated 2+1–1 in the best-of-5 finals. Because San Beda were unbeaten in the elimination round, they were given a 1–0 series lead before finals play started.
- UAAP Juniors: defeated 2–1 in the best-of-3 finals.
Awards and honors
[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]
- Class of 2012:
- *Players: Mel Daniels, Katrina McClain, Reggie Miller, Ralph Sampson, Chet Walker, Jamaal Wilkes
- *Coaches: Lidia Alexeyeva, Don Nelson
- *Contributors: Don Barksdale, Phil Knight
- *Referees: Hank Nichols
- *Teams: All American Red Heads
[Women's Basketball Hall of Fame]
- Class of 2012
- * Nancy Fahey
- * Nikki McCray
- * Pamela McGee
- * Inge Nissen
- * Robin Roberts
- * Dawn Staley
Professional
- Men
- *NBA Most Valuable Player Award: LeBron James, Miami Heat
- *NBA Rookie of the Year Award: Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
- *NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Tyson Chandler, New York Knicks
- *NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award: James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder
- *NBA Most Improved Player Award: Ryan Anderson, Orlando Magic
- *NBA Sportsmanship Award: Jason Kidd, Dallas Mavericks
- *NBA Coach of the Year Award: Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs
- *J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award: Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers
- *NBA Executive of the Year Award: Larry Bird, Indiana Pacers
- *FIBA Europe Player of the Year Award: Andrei Kirilenko, 2011–12 Minnesota Timberwolves
- *Euroscar Award:Andrei Kirilenko, 2011–12 Minnesota Timberwolves
- *NBA All-Star Game MVP:Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
- *Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award: Pat Riley, Miami Heat
- Women
- *WNBA Most Valuable Player Award: Tina Charles, Connecticut Sun
- *WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Tamika Catchings, Indiana Fever
- *WNBA Rookie of the Year Award: Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles Sparks
- *WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year Award: Renee Montgomery, Connecticut Sun
- *WNBA Most Improved Player Award: Kristi Toliver, Los Angeles Sparks
- *Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award: Kara Lawson, Connecticut Sun
- *WNBA Coach of the Year Award: Carol Ross, Los Angeles Sparks
- *FIBA Europe Player of the Year Award: Expected to be announced in February 2013.
- *WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award: Tamika Catchings, Indiana Fever
Collegiate
- Combined
- *Legends of Coaching Award: Geno Auriemma, Connecticut
- Men
- *John R. Wooden Award: Anthony Davis, Kentucky
- *Naismith College Coach of the Year: Bill Self, Kansas
- *Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Reggie Hamilton, Oakland
- *Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year: Anthony Davis, Kentucky
- *NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player: Luke Hancock, Louisville
- *USBWA National Freshman of the Year: Anthony Davis, Kentucky
- *Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Frank Haith, Missouri
- *Naismith Outstanding Contribution to Basketball: Don Meyer
- Women
- *John R. Wooden Award: Brittney Griner, Baylor
- *Naismith College Player of the Year: Brittney Griner, Baylor
- *Naismith College Coach of the Year: Kim Mulkey, Baylor
- *Wade Trophy: Brittney Griner, Baylor
- *Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Tavelyn James, Eastern Michigan
- *Associated Press Women's College Basketball Player of the Year: Brittney Griner, Baylor
- *NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player: Brittney Griner, Baylor
- *Basketball Academic All-America Team: Elena Delle Donne, Delaware
- *Kay Yow Award: Karl Smesko, Florida Gulf Coast
- *Carol Eckman Award: Sue Ramsey, Ashland University
- *Maggie Dixon Award: Jennifer Hoover, High Point
- *USBWA National Freshman of the Year: Elizabeth Williams, Duke
- *Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Kim Mulkey, Baylor
- *List of Senior CLASS Award women's basketball winners: Nneka Ogwumike, Stanford
- *Nancy Lieberman Award: Skylar Diggins, Notre Dame
- *Naismith Outstanding Contribution to Basketball: Teresa Edwards
Events
- April 18 – Tennessee Lady Volunteers coach Pat Summitt stepped down after 38 years and 8 NCAA championships. She was succeeded by assistant Holly Warlick.
- December 17 – Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim became the third NCAA Division I men's coach with 900 career wins following the Orange's 72–68 win over Detroit. He had been preceded to 900 wins by Bob Knight and current leader Mike Krzyzewski.
Movies
- Benji - A documentary about the life and 1984 murder of Chicago high school superstar Ben Wilson.
- The Other Dream Team - A documentary about the 1992 Lithuanian Olympic basketball team.
- ''Thunderstruck''
Deaths
- January 3 — Gene Bartow, American college coach, and member of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame
- January 5 — Alexander Sizonenko, Russian basketball player
- January 10 — Jack Heron, American college coach
- January 11 — Wally Osterkorn, NBA player
- January 23 — Larry Striplin, American college coach
- January 28 — Joseph Curran, American college coach
- February 1 — Charlie Spoonhour, American college coach
- February 1 — Jerry Steiner, American National Basketball League player
- February 8 — Lew Hitch, NBA player
- February 16 — Gene Vance, BAA/NBA player
- February 25 — Dick Davies, gold medal-winning player for Team USA at the 1964 Summer Olympics
- February 26 — Zollie Volchok, NBA Executive
- March 8 — Charlie Hoag, 1952 Olympic Gold Medal winner and National Champion at Kansas
- March 12 — Dick Harter, American coach
- March 16 — Ed Dahler, NBA player
- March 24 — Pete McCaffrey, gold medal-winning player for Team USA at the 1964 Summer Olympics
- April 11 — Tippy Dye, American college coach
- April 11 — Bob Lewis, National champion at Utah
- April 15 — Dwayne Schintzius, NBA player
- April 15 — Bob Wright, high school and college coach
- April 30 — Andrew Levane, NBA player and coach
- April 30 — Frank Zummach, NBL coach
- May 1 — Greg Jackson, NBA player
- May 6 — Pat Frink, NBA player
- May 13 — Nolan Richardson III, American college coach
- May 26 — Lou Watson, American college coach
- May 28 — Ed Burton, NBA player
- May 30 — Jack Twyman, Naismith Hall of Fame NBA player
- May 31 — Orlando Woolridge, NBA player
- June 2 — LeRoy Ellis, NBA player
- June 4 — Jim Fitzgerald, NBA owner
- June 7 — Chuck Share, NBA player
- June 7 — Mervin Jackson, ABA player
- June 8 — Pete Brennan, NBA player
- June 14 — Dick Acres, 78, American college coach.
- June 18 — Dennis Hamilton, NBA/ABA player
- June 24 — Heino Kruus, Olympic Silver medalist for the Soviet Union in 1952.
- June 24 — Ted Luckenbill, NBA player.
- June 26 — Pat Cummings, NBA player.
- June 26 — Jack Hewson, BAA player.
- June 28 — Herb Scherer, NBA player.
- July 9 — Kenny Heitz, three-time NCAA champion at UCLA.
- July 13 — Warren Jabali, ABA player.
- July 26 — Neil Reed, College player
- August 2 — Ruy de Freitas, Olympic Bronze medalist for Brazil in 1948.
- August 3 — John Pritchard, NBA player and Washington Generals player
- August 4 — Arnie Risen, Naismith Hall of Fame NBA player
- August 6 — Dan Roundfield, ABA and NBA player
- August 17 — Pál Bogár, Hungarian Olympic player
- August 27 — Art Heyman, NBA and ABA player
- September 21 — Ed Conlin, NBA player
- September 29 — Bob Stevens, college coach
- October 8 — Donnie Butcher, NBA player and coach
- October 9 — Kenny Rollins, NBA player, college national champion at Kentucky, Olympic gold medalist in 1948
- October 12 — Ervin Kassai, Hungarian referee, FIBA Hall of Fame member
- October 18 — Slater Martin, Naismith Hall of Fame player, five-time NBA champion
- October 30 — Dan Tieman, NBA player
- November 13 — Murray Arnold, college and professional coach
- November 25 — Carlisle Towery, American National Basketball League player
- December 1 — John Crigler, national championship college player at Kentucky
- December 1 — Rick Majerus, college coach
- December 4 — Ken Trickey, college coach
- December 7 — Nikola Ilić, Serbian player
- December 12 — Walt Kirk, American NBA player
- December 20 — Jerome Whitehead, American NBA player
- December 22 — Charles Cleveland, American college player
- December 28 — Dan Kraus, American BAA player
- December 28 — Fred Rehm, American NBL player, NCAA champion at Wisconsin
- December 29 — Erv Staggs, American ABA player