2003 in basketball

Champions

Professional

Men
*2003 NBA Finals: San Antonio Spurs over the New Jersey Nets 4-2. MVP: Tim Duncan
**2002-03 NBA season
**2003 NBA Playoffs
**2003 NBA draft
**2003 NBA All-Star Game
*Eurobasket: Lithuania 93, Spain 84
Women
*WNBA Finals: Detroit Shock over Los Angeles Sparks 2-1. MVP: Ruth Riley
**2003 WNBA season
**2003 WNBA Playoffs
**2003 WNBA draft
**2003 WNBA All-Star Game
*Eurobasket Women: Russia def. Czech Republic

College

Men
*NCAA Division I: Syracuse University 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 70
Women
*NCAA Division I: University of Connecticut 73, University of Tennessee 68
*Women's National Invitation Tournament: Auburn 64, Baylor 63
*NCAA Division II: South Dakota State 65, Northern Kentucky University 60
*NCAA Division III Trinity University 60, Eastern Connecticut State 58
*NAIA Division I: Southern Nazarene 71, Oklahoma City University 70
*NAIA Division II Hastings 59, Dakota Wesleyan 53

Awards and honors

[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]

[Women's Basketball Hall of Fame]

Class of 2003

Professional

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
January 29 — John Murphy, American BAA player
February 9 — John Hyder, American college coach
March 29 — Carl Ridd, Canadian Olympic player
April 5 — Helgi Jóhannsson, Icelandic basketball player and coach
April 16 — Jewell Young, All-American college player, NBL player
May 14 — Dave DeBusschere, American Hall of Fame NBA player
May 14 — Al Fleming, American NBA player
May 23 — Weenie Miller, American college coach
May 29 — Anthony Frederick, American NBA player
June 16 — David Polansky, American college coach
June 22 — John Mandic, American NBA player
September 20 — Ernie Calverley, All-American player and coach at Rhode Island
October 16 — Chet Jaworski, All-American player
October 23 — Kevin Magee, Former All-American at UC Irvine and Maccabi Tel Aviv player
October 30 — Stan Szukala, American NBL player
November 21 — Bill Haarlow, American NBL player
December 8 — Chuck Noe, American college coach
December 9 — Norm Sloan, College basketball coach of the 1974 national champion NC State Wolfpack
December 26 — Gale Bishop, All-American college and BAA player