2008 in basketball

Tournaments include international (FIBA), professional (club) and amateur and collegiate levels.

Olympics

 * FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2008 at Athens
 * 2008 Olympics at Beijing
 * 2008 Olympics at Beijing
 * 2008 Olympics at Beijing
 * 2008 Olympics at Beijing

Other tournaments

 * EuroBasket 2009 qualification

Olympics

 * FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women 2008 at Madrid
 * 2008 Olympics at Beijing
 * 2008 Olympics at Beijing
 * 2008 Olympics at Beijing
 * 2008 Olympics at Beijing
 * 2008 Olympics at Beijing
 * 2008 Olympics at Beijing

Other tournaments

 * EuroBasket Women 2009 qualification

National championships
Men:
 * 🇺🇸🇨🇦 NBA
 * Season:
 * Western Conference: Los Angeles Lakers (57–25)
 * Eastern Conference and League: Boston Celtics (66–16)
 * Other Division champions: Detroit Pistons, New Orleans Hornets, Utah Jazz, Orlando Magic
 * Finals: The Boston Celtics defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 4–2 in the best-of-seven NBA Finals. Finals MVP: Paul Pierce
 * 🇦🇷 Liga Nacional de Básquet, 2007–08 season:
 * Regular season: Libertad
 * Playoffs: Libertad defeat Quimsa 4–0 in the best-of-seven final.
 * 🇦🇺 National Basketball League, 2007–08 season: The Melbourne Tigers defeat the Sydney Kings 3–2 in the best-of-five grand finals.
 * 🇨🇳 Chinese Basketball Association, 2007–08 season: The Guangdong Southern Tigers defeat the Liaoning Hunters 4–1 in the best-of-seven finals.
 * Croatian League:
 * 🇪🇪 Estonian League, 2007–08: TÜ/Rock defeat Kalev/Cramo 4–0 in the best-of-7 final.
 * 🇫🇷 French League: Nancy crush defending champions Chorale Roanne 84–53 in the one-off final.
 * 🇩🇪 German Bundesliga:
 * 🇬🇷 Greek League: Panathinaikos defeat Olympiacos 3–2 in the best-of-five final.
 * Iranian Super League, 2007–08 season: Mahram defeat Saba Battery 2–0 in the best-of-three final.
 * 🇮🇱 Israel Super League: Hapoel Holon defeat Maccabi Tel Aviv, the 14-time defending champions, 73–72 in the one-off final.
 * 🇮🇹 Italian Serie A: Montepaschi Siena defeat Lottomatica Roma 4–1 in the best-of-seven final.
 * 🇱🇹 Lithuanian LKL: Žalgiris defeat Lietuvos Rytas 4–1 in the best-of-seven final.
 * 🇲🇪 Montenegro League:
 * 🇵🇭 Philippine Basketball Association, 2007–08 season:
 * Philippine Cup: The Sta. Lucia Realtors defeat the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants 4–3 in the best-of-seven finals. Finals MVP: Dennis Espino
 * Fiesta Conference: The Barangay Ginebra Kings defeat the Air21 Express 4–3 in the best-of-seven Finals. Finals MVPs: Ronald Tubid and Eric Menk
 * 🇵🇱 Polish League:
 * 🇷🇺 Russian Super League, 2007–08 season: CSKA Moscow sweep Dynamo Moscow 3–0 in the best-of-five final.
 * 🇷🇸 Serbia Super League:
 * 🇸🇮 Slovenian League: Union Olimpija defeat Helios Domžale 3–1 in the best-of-five finals.
 * 🇪🇸 Spanish ACB:
 * Season: Real Madrid
 * Playoffs: TAU Cerámica sweep AXA FC Barcelona 3–0 in the best-of-five final.
 * 🇹🇷 Turkish Basketball League:
 * 🇬🇧 British Basketball League, 2007–08:
 * Season:
 * Playoffs:
 * 🇧🇦🇲🇪🇷🇸🇸🇮 Adriatic League:

Women:
 * 🇺🇸 2008 WNBA Finals: Detroit Shock
 * EuroLeague Women 2007–08: 🇷🇺 Spartak Moscow Region

Men

 * 🇺🇸 NCAA
 * Division I: Kansas 75, Memphis 68 OT
 * Most Outstanding Player: Mario Chalmers, Kansas
 * National Invitation Tournament:
 * Division II: Winona State (MN) 87, Augusta State (GA) 76
 * Division III: Washington University in St. Louis (MO) 90, Amherst 68
 * 🇺🇸 NAIA
 * NAIA Division I: Oklahoma City 75, Mountain State (WV) 72
 * NAIA Division II: Oregon Tech 63, Bellevue (NE) 56
 * 🇺🇸 NJCAA
 * Division I: South Plains College 67, Salt Lake CC 56
 * Division II: Mott Community College 83, Columb State Community College 73
 * Division III: North Lake College TX 73, Joliet Junior College IL 70
 * 🇵🇭 philippines
 * Philippine Collegiate Championship 2008: De La Salle University 71, Ateneo de Manila University 62
 * UAAP Men's: Ateneo de Manila University def. De La Salle University, 2–0 in the finals series
 * NCAA (Philippines) Seniors': San Beda College def. José Rizal University, 2–1 in the finals series

Women

 * 🇺🇸 NCAA
 * Division I: Tennessee 64, Stanford 48
 * Most Outstanding Player: Candace Parker, Tennessee
 * WNIT: Marquette 81, Michigan State 66
 * Division II: Northern Kentucky 63, South Dakota 58
 * Division III: Howard Payne (TX) 68, Messiah (PA) 54
 * 🇺🇸 NAIA
 * NAIA Division I: Vanguard (CA) 72, Trevecca Nazarene (TN) 59
 * NAIA Division II: Northwestern College 82, College of the Ozarks MO 75
 * 🇺🇸 NJCAA
 * Division I: Gulf Coast 62, Central Arizona 61
 * Division II: Kirkwood 78 vs Kankakee 53 (Final)
 * Division III: Monroe CC NY 79, Mohawk Valley CC 48
 * 🇵🇭 UAAP Women's: Far Eastern University def. University of the Philippines, 2–0 in the finals series

Prep

 * 🇺🇸 USA Today Boys Basketball Ranking #1: St. Anthony High School (New Jersey), Jersey City, New Jersey
 * 🇺🇸 USA Today Girls Basketball Ranking #1: Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory, San Francisco, California
 * 🇵🇭 NCAA (Philippines) Juniors: San Sebastian College-Recoletos def. Colegio de San Juan de Letran, 2–0 in the finals series
 * 🇵🇭 UAAP Juniors: Ateneo High School def. De La Salle Zobel, 2–0 in the finals series

Basketball Hall of Fame

 * Class of 2008:
 * Players: Adrian Dantley, Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon
 * Coaches: Pat Riley, Cathy Rush
 * Contributors: William Davidson, Dick Vitale

Women's Basketball Hall of Fame

 * Class of 2008
 * Debbie Ryan
 * Patty Broderick
 * Lin L. Laursen
 * Jill Rankin Schneider
 * Suzie McConnell-Serio
 * Michelle Timms

Professional

 * Men
 * NBA Most Valuable Player Award: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
 * NBA Rookie of the Year Award: Kevin Durant, Seattle SuperSonics
 * NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics
 * NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award: Manu Ginóbili, San Antonio Spurs
 * NBA Most Improved Player Award: Hedo Türkoğlu, Orlando Magic
 * NBA Coach of the Year Award: Byron Scott, New Orleans Hornets
 * FIBA Europe Player of the Year Award: Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers and (also Memphis Grizzlies)
 * Euroscar Award: Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers and Spain (also Memphis Grizzlies)
 * Mr. Europa: Ricky Rubio, Joventut Badalona and
 * Women
 * WNBA Most Valuable Player Award: Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks
 * WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks
 * WNBA Rookie of the Year Award: Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks
 * WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year Award: Candice Wiggins, Minnesota Lynx
 * WNBA Most Improved Player Award: Ebony Hoffman, Indiana Fever
 * Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award: Vickie Johnson, San Antonio Silver Stars
 * WNBA Coach of the Year Award: Mike Thibault, Connecticut Sun
 * WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award: Katie Smith, Detroit Shock
 * FIBA Europe Player of the Year Award: Maria Stepanova, 🇷🇺 CSKA Samara and

Collegiate

 * Combined
 * Legends of Coaching Award: Pat Summitt, Tennessee
 * Men
 * John R. Wooden Award: Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina
 * Naismith College Coach of the Year: John Calipari, Memphis
 * Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Mike Green, Butler
 * Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year: Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina
 * NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player: Wayne Ellington, North Carolina
 * USBWA National Freshman of the Year: Michael Beasley, Kansas State
 * Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Keno Davis, Drake
 * Naismith Outstanding Contribution to Basketball: Dick Vitale
 * Women
 * John R. Wooden Award: Candace Parker, Tennessee
 * Naismith College Player of the Year: Candace Parker, Tennessee
 * Naismith College Coach of the Year: Geno Auriemma, Connecticut
 * Wade Trophy: Candice Wiggins, Stanford
 * Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Jolene Anderson, Wisconsin
 * Associated Press Women's College Basketball Player of the Year: Candace Parker, Tennessee
 * NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player: Candace Parker, Tennessee
 * Basketball Academic All-America Team: Candace Parker, Tennessee
 * Carol Eckman Award: Doug Bruno, DePaul University
 * Maggie Dixon Award: Jeff Walz, Louisville
 * USBWA National Freshman of the Year: Maya Moore, Connecticut
 * Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Geno Auriemma, Connecticut
 * List of Senior CLASS Award women's basketball winners: Candice Wiggins, Stanford
 * Nancy Lieberman Award: Kristi Toliver, Maryland
 * Naismith Outstanding Contribution to Basketball: Jody Conradt

Events

 * The Seattle SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Movies

 * More than a Game
 * Semi-Pro – a screwball comedy film starring Will Ferrell, loosely based on the American Basketball Association in the 1970s.

Deaths

 * March 22 — Red Stroud, American ABA player (New Orleans Buccaneers) (born 1941)
 * March 25 — Ben Carnevale, American Hall of Fame coach of the Navy Midshipmen and North Carolina Tar Heels (born 1915)
 * April 1 — Marvin Stone, former Kentucky Wildcats and Louisville Cardinals player (born 1981)
 * April 4 — Julius McCoy, 76, All-American college player at Michigan State (1956).
 * April 9 — Art Spoelstra, American NBA player (Rochester Royals, Minneapolis Lakers, New York Knicks) (born 1932)
 * May 5 — Sam Aubrey, American college player and coach (Oklahoma State) (born 1922)
 * May 23 — Bob Knight, American professional basketball player (New York Knicks) (born 1929)
 * June 25 — A. L. Bennett, American college player (Oklahoma State) (born 1924)
 * July 15 — Gennadi Volnov, Russian (Soviet) Olympic gold medalist (1972) (born 1939)
 * August 20 — Larry Hennessy, American Villanova All-American (born 1929)
 * August 20 — Kevin Duckworth, American NBA All-Star with the Portland Trail Blazers (born 1964)
 * September 5 —Bob Cluggish, American BAA player (New York Knicks) (born 1917)
 * September 5 — Doyle Parrack, American college coach (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) (born 1921)
 * September 6 — LeRoy Gardner Jr., University of Minnesota guard from 1966 to 1969. (born 1947)
 * September 8 — Don Haskins, American Hall of Fame coach of the UTEP Miners, 1966 National Champions (born 1930)
 * September 19 — Ernie Andres, All-American college player (Indiana), NBL player (Indianapolis Kautskys) (born 1918)
 * November 17 — Pete Newell, American Hall of Fame coach of the California Golden Bears, 1959 National Champions (born 1915)