1998 in basketball

World Championships

 * Men Yugoslavia 64, Russia 62
 * Women USA 71, Russia 65

Professional

 * Men
 * 1998 NBA Finals: Chicago Bulls over the Utah Jazz 4-2. MVP: Michael Jordan
 * 1998 NBA Playoffs, 1997-98 NBA season, 1998 NBA draft, 1998 NBA All-Star Game
 * Philippine Basketball Association 1998 season:
 * Alaska Milkmen over the San Miguel Beermen 4-3 in the All-Filipino Cup Finals
 * Alaska Milkmen over the San Miguel Beermen 4-2 in the Commissioner's Finals
 * Formula Shell Zoom Masters over the Mobiline Phone Pals 4-3 in the Governor's Finals
 * Women
 * WNBA Finals: Houston Comets over the Phoenix Mercury 2-1. MVP: Cynthia Cooper
 * 1998 WNBA Playoffs, 1998 WNBA season, 1998 WNBA draft

College

 * Men
 * NCAA Division I: University of Kentucky 78, University of Utah 69
 * National Invitation Tournament: University of Minnesota def. Penn State University
 * NCAA Division II: University of California-Davis	83, Kentucky Wesleyan College 77
 * NCAA Division III: University of Wisconsin-Platteville 69, Hope College 53
 * NAIA Division I: Georgetown College (KY) 83, Southern Nazarene University (OK) 69
 * NAIA Division II: Bethel College (Indiana) (IN) 89, Oregon Institute of Technology 87
 * NJCAA Division I:  Indian Hills CC, Ottumwa, Iowa 83, Shelby State CC, Memphis, Tennessee 68
 * Women
 * NCAA Division I: Purdue University 62, Duke University 45
 * NCAA Division II: North Dakota State University 92, Emporia State University 76
 * NCAA Division III Washington (Mo.) 77, University of Southern Maine 69
 * NAIA Division I: Union College (TN) 73-70 Southern Nazarene University (OK) 70
 * NAIA Division II Walsh University (OH)) 73, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (TX) 66

Preps

 * USA Today Boys Basketball #1 Ranking: St. John's at Prospect Hall, Frederick, Maryland (25-0) Led by Jason Capel and Damien Wilkins.
 * USA Today Girls Basketball #1 Ranking: Christ the King, Queens, New York (27-0) Won the New York Federation Class A title, led by Sue Bird.

Professional

 * Men
 * NBA Most Valuable Player Award:  Michael Jordan
 * NBA Rookie of the Year Award: Tim Duncan
 * NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Dikembe Mutombo
 * NBA Coach of the Year Award: Larry Bird, Indiana Pacers
 * Women
 * WNBA Most Valuable Player Award: Cynthia Cooper, Houston Comets
 * WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Teresa Weatherspoon, New York Liberty
 * WNBA Rookie of the Year Award: Tracy Reid, Charlotte Sting
 * Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award: Suzie McConnell Serio, Cleveland Rockers
 * WNBA Coach of the Year Award: Van Chancellor, Houston Comets
 * WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award: Cynthia Cooper, Houston Comets

Collegiate

 * Men
 * John R. Wooden Award: Antawn Jamison, North Carolina
 * Naismith College Coach of the Year: Bill Guthridge, North Carolina
 * Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Earl Boykins, Eastern Michigan
 * Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year: Antawn Jamison, North Carolina
 * NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player: Richard Hamilton, Connecticut
 * USBWA National Freshman of the Year: Larry Hughes, Saint Louis
 * Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Tom Izzo, Michigan State
 * Naismith Outstanding Contribution to Basketball: Dean Smith
 * Women
 * Naismith College Player of the Year: Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee
 * Naismith College Coach of the Year: Pat Summitt, Tennessee
 * Wade Trophy: Ticha Penicheiro, Old Dominion
 * Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Angie Arnold, Johns Hopkins
 * Associated Press Women's College Basketball Player of the Year: Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee
 * NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player: Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee
 * Basketball Academic All-America Team: Lisa Davies, Missouri State
 * Carol Eckman Award: Kay James, Southern Mississippi
 * Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Pat Summitt, Tennessee

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

 * Class of 1998:
 * Larry Bird
 * Jody Conradt
 * Alex Hannum
 * Marques Haynes
 * Aleksandar Nikolić
 * Arnie Risen
 * Lenny Wilkens

Movies

 * BASEketball
 * He Got Game

Deaths

 * March 11 — Buddy Jeannette, Hall of Fame NBA, NBL and BAA player (born 1917)
 * March 17 — Cliff Barker, American basketball player (born 1921)
 * May 15 — Earl "Goat" Manigault, legendary street player (born 1944)
 * June 8 — McCoy Ingram, 67, American player (Minneapolis Lakers, Harlem Globetrotters).
 * July 4 — Jay Taylor, American NBA player (New Jersey Nets) (born 1967)
 * August 8 — Sam Balter, member of 1936 US Olympic team (born 1909)
 * November 6 — Jack Hartman, American Kansas State University coach (born 1925)
 * November 6 — Fred Pralle, All-American college player (Kansas) (born 1916)
 * November 13 — Red Holzman, American Basketball Hall of Fame coach who won two NBA championships with the New York Knicks (born 1920)
 * December 6 — Radomir Shaper, Serbian player and administrator and FIBA Hall of Fame member (born 1925)