1998 in basketball

Championships

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, 1998-99 NBA season, 1998 NBA Draft
• * 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
• *WNBA Finals: Houston Comets over the Phoenix Mercury 2-1. MVP: Cynthia Cooper

  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 83, Southern Nazarene University 69
• *NAIA Division II: Bethel College 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 77, University of Southern Maine 69
• *NAIA Division I: Union College 73-70 Southern Nazarene University 70
• *NAIA Division II Walsh University ) 73, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor 66

  Preps

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

  Awards and honors

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

  Events

Movies

• BASEketball
• He Got Game

  Deaths

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