1999 in basketball

Championships

Professional

• Men
• *1999 NBA Finals: San Antonio Spurs over the New York Knicks 4-1. MVP: Tim Duncan
• ** 1999 NBA Playoffs, 1998-99 NBA season, 1999 NBA Draft
• *Eurobasket: Italy 64, Spain 56
• Women
• *WNBA Finals: Houston Comets over the New York Liberty 2-1. MVP: Cynthia Cooper
• *Eurobasket Women Poland def. France

  College

• Men
• *NCAA Division I: University of Connecticut 77, Duke University 74
• *National Invitation Tournament: University of California, Berkeley 61, Clemson University 60
• *NCAA Division II: Kentucky Wesleyan College 75, Metropolitan State College of Denver 60
• *NCAA Division III: University of Wisconsin-Platteville 76, Hampden-Sydney College 75 2 OTs
• *NAIA Division I: Life University 63, Mobile 60
• *NAIA Division II: Cornerstone University 113, Bethel College 109 OT
• *NJCAA Division I: Indian Hills CC, Ottumwa, Iowa 100, Barton County CC Great Bend, Kansas 88
• Women
• *NCAA Division I: Purdue University 62, Duke University 45
• *NCAA Division II: North Dakota State University 80, Arkansas Tech University 63
• *NCAA Division III Washington 74, St. Benedict 65
• *NAIA Division I: Oklahoma City University 72, Simon Fraser 55
• *NAIA Division II Shawnee State University 80, University of St. Francis 65

  Preps

• USA Today Boys Basketball #1 Ranking: Oak Hill, Mouth of Wilson, Virginia. Led by Ron Slay and Travis Watson
• USA Today Girls Basketball #1 Ranking: Pickerington, Ohio. Led by LaToya Turner.

  Awards and honors

Professional

• Men
• *NBA Most Valuable Player Award: Karl Malone
• *NBA Rookie of the Year Award: Vince Carter
• *NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Alonzo Mourning
• *NBA Coach of the Year Award: Mike Dunleavy, Portland Trail Blazers
• Women
• *WNBA Most Valuable Player Award: Yolanda Griffith, Sacramento Monarchs
• *WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Yolanda Griffith, Sacramento Monarchs
• *WNBA Rookie of the Year Award: Chamique Holdsclaw, Washington Mystics
• *Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award: Dawn Staley, Charlotte Sting
• *WNBA Coach of the Year Award: Van Chancellor, Houston Comets
• *WNBA All-Star Game MVP: Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks
• *WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award: Cynthia Cooper, Houston Comets

  Collegiate

• Combined
• *Legends of Coaching Award: Dean Smith, North Carolina
• Men
• *John R. Wooden Award: Elton Brand, Duke
• *Naismith College Coach of the Year: Mike Krzyzewski, Duke
• *Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Shawnta Rogers, George Washington
• *Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year: Elton Brand, Duke
• *NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player: Mateen Cleaves, Michigan State
• *USBWA National Freshman of the Year: Quentin Richardson, DePaul
• *Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Cliff Ellis, Auburn
• *Naismith Outstanding Contribution to Basketball: C.M. Newton
• Women
• *Naismith College Player of the Year: Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee
• *Naismith College Coach of the Year: Carolyn Peck, Purdue
• *Wade Trophy: Stephanie White, Purdue
• *Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Becky Hammon, Colorado State
• *Associated Press Women's College Basketball Player of the Year: Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee
• *NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player: Ukari Figgs, Purdue
• *Carol Eckman Award: Susan Summons, Miami-Dade Community College
• *Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Carolyn Peck, Purdue
• *Naismith Outstanding Contribution to Basketball: Margaret Wade

  [Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]

• Class of 1999:
• * Wayne R. Embry
• * Kevin E. McHale
• * Billie J. Moore
• * John R. Thompson
• * Fred Zollner

  [Women's Basketball Hall of Fame]

• Class of 1999:
• * Senda Abbott
• * Lidia Alexeyeva
• * Carol Blazejowski
• * Joanne Bracker
• * Jody Conradt
• * Joan Crawford
• * Denise Curry
• * Anne Donovan
• * Carol Eckman
• * Betty Jo Graber
• * Lusia Harris-Stewart
• * John Head
• * Nancy Lieberman
• * Darlene May
• * Ann Meyers-Drysdale
• * Cheryl Miller
• * Billie Moore
• * Shin-Ja Park
• * Harley Redin
• * Uljana Semjonova
• * Jim Smiddy
• * Pat Head Summitt
• * Bertha Teague
• * Margaret Wade
• * Nera White

  Events

Deaths

• May 8 — John Kotz, 1941 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player and player for the Sheboygan Red Skins
• May 31 — Vic Rouse, American college player, national champion at Loyola-Illinois
• July 8 — Frank Lubin, member of 1936 US Olympic championship team
• August 7 — John Dee, American college coach
• August 7 — Harry Litwack, Hall of fame college coach of the Temple Owls
• August 19 — Kim Perrot, WNBA Player for the Houston Comets
• October 4 — Ted Strain, American NBL player and national champion at Wisconsin
• October 8 — John McLendon, Hall of Fame college and ABA coach
• October 12 — Wilt Chamberlain, player and member of Basketball Hall of Fame. Many believe him to have been the best basketball player in the history of the game
• October 14 — Jim Jordan, All-American at North Carolina
• October 25 — Forddy Anderson, Final Four college coach at both Bradley and Michigan State. NBA scout for the Boston Celtics
• December 1 — William "Pop" Gates, Hall of Fame Harlem Renaissance and Harlem Globetrotters player
• December 23 — Vladimir Kondrashin, FIBA Hall of Fame Russian coach
• December 24 — Reggie Carter, American NBA player
• December 31 — Bob McKeen, All-American college player