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
• *Eurobasket: Lithuania 93, Spain 84
• Women
• *WNBA: Detroit Shock over Los Angeles Sparks 2-1. MVP: Ruth Riley
• *Eurobasket Women: Russia def. Czech Republic

  College

• Men
• *NCAA Division I: University of Syracuse 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
• *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]

• Class of 2003:
• * Leon Barmore
• * Francis D. "Chick" Hearn
• * Earl F. Lloyd
• * Meadowlark Lemon
• * Dino Meneghin
• * Robert L. Parish
• * James A. Worthy

  [Women's Basketball Hall of Fame]

• Class of 2003

  Professional

• Men
• *NBA Most Valuable Player Award: Tim Duncan
• *NBA Rookie of the Year Award: Amar'e Stoudemire
• *NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Ben Wallace
• *NBA Coach of the Year Award: Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs
• *Euroscar Award: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks and
• *Mr. Europa: Šarūnas Jasikevičius, Maccabi Tel Aviv and
• Women
• *WNBA Most Valuable Player Award: Lauren Jackson, Seattle Storm
• *WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Sheryl Swoopes, Houston Comets
• *WNBA Rookie of the Year Award: Cheryl Ford, Detroit Shock
• *WNBA Most Improved Player Award: Michelle Snow, Houston Comets
• *Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award: Edna Campbell, Sacramento Monarchs
• *WNBA Coach of the Year Award: Bill Laimbeer, Detroit Shock
• *WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award: Ruth Riley, Detroit Shock

  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

  Events

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 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