Events in Sport
- 1985-01-02 Nevada Las Vegas basketball gives coach Jerry Tarkanian his 600th career victory with a 142-140 win over Utah State in triple overtime; total of 282 points breaks NCAA men's record of 275 set in 1976
- 1985-02-08 Bruce Morris, Marshall Univ, makes a 92' 5½" basketball shot
- 1985-02-23 Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight throws a chair during a game
- 1985-04-02 The NCAA Rules Committee adopts a 45-second shot clock for men’s basketball to begin in the 1986 season in an effort to eliminate stalling
- 1985-04-04 Tulane University cancels its basketball season amidst scandal
Sports History
1986-01-04 NCAA basketball's David Robinson blocks a record 14 shots
- 1986-04-02 NCAA Basketball Rules Committee votes to adopt the 3-point shot beginning the 1986-87 season; sets college distance at 19 feet, 9 inches, compared to 21 feet in the NBA
- 1987-03-12 David Robinson scores 50 points in a NCAA basketball game
- 1988-03-02 The flaming basketball is adopted as NBA franchise Miami Heat’s official logo from over 13,000 entries; Mark Henderson submits the winning entry
- 1988-03-17 Then highest scoring NCAA basketball game to date; Loyola-Marymont 119, Wyoming 115
- 1988-09-29 US retain women's basketball title at he Seoul Olympics with a 77-70 win over Yugoslavia; star guard Teresa Edwards top scores for the Americans with 18 points
- 1988-09-30 Soviet Union beats Yugoslavia 76-63 to win the men's basketball gold medal at the Seoul Olympics; US finishes 3rd; final time US field non-NBA team
- 1989-05-15 US Basketball League cancels its summer schedule
- 1990-01-11 Bobby Knight becomes college basketball's Big 10 winningest coach (229)
- 1991-01-09 Dean Smith of NC is 6th to win 700 career coaching basketball games
- 1991-01-12 Largest crowd to watch Atlantic Coast Women's Basketball game (11,520)
- 1991-02-23 NC is 1st NCAA basketball team to win 1,500 games
- 1991-07-15 Sandhi Ortiz-DelValle is 1st woman to officiate a men's pro basketball (USBL) game, game between New Haven Skyhawks and Philadelphia Spirit
- 1991-09-21 USA Basketball announces "Dream Team" for the 1992 Olympics
- 1991-11-18 Auburn men's basketball team placed on 2 yr probation for recruiting violations and not eligible for post-season play 1991-92
- 1991-12-28 8 are crushed to death at a RAP basketball game at City College, NYC
- 1992-01-12 Highest scoring NCAA basketball game; Troy State Trojans defeat DeVry Hoyas 258-149 in Troy, Alabama
- 1992-04-13 Lou Carnesecca retires as coach of St John's basketball team
- 1992-06-28 US Dream Team beats Cuba in 1st exhibition basketball game, 133-57
Olympic Gold
1992-08-08 The original US 'Dream Team' wins the basketball gold at the Barcelona Olympics 117-85 over Croatia; features superstars Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Scottie Pippen, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing
- 1992-09-29 Magic Johnson announces return to play basketball (he doesn't)
Hall of Fame
1993-05-10 Bill Walton is inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
- 1994-04-03 13th NCAA Women's Basketball Championship: North Carolina beats Louisiana Tech, 60-59; Tar Heels first NCAA title on 3-point shot by Charlotte Smith as time expires
Sports History
1994-11-01 Chicago Bulls retire basketball superstar Michael Jordan's jersey #23 in a 2-hour ceremony at the United Center
- 1995-05-05 Last basketball game at Boston Garden; Celtics eliminated from playoffs by Orlando Magic, 95-92
- 1996-01-30 Future Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson comes out of a 5 year retirement; helps LA Lakers to 128-118 win over Golden State at the Great Western Forum with 19 points, 8 rebounds & 10 assists
Olympic Gold
1996-08-02 The star-studded United States men's basketball team, Dream Team III, beat Yugoslavia 95-69 to win the gold medal at the Atlanta Olympics
- 1996-11-01 Philadelphia 76ers inaugurate NBA season with opening of the CoreStates Center before 20,444; largest crowd to see a basketball game in state of Pennsylvania; lose to Milwaukee Bucks, 111-103
- 1997-01-03 Texas-El Paso head basketball coach Don Haskins becomes 10th coach in NCAA Division I history to record 700 career wins when the Miners edge SMU, 66-64
- 1997-06-21 Women's National Basketball Association begins as NY Liberty beats LA Sparks
- 1997-10-09 North Carolina's record winning college basketball coach Dean Smith retires
- 2000-10-01 NBA stars Ray Allen and Vince Carter each score 13 points as the US beats France 85-75 to win the men's basketball gold medal at the Sydney Olympics
- 2003-03-01 Legendary Mount St. Mary's basketball head coach Jim Phelan wins final game of 49 year career as Mountaineers win 60-56 over Central Connecticut State; Phelan: 830 wins in NCAA record 1,354 games
Sports History
2003-07-04 LA Lakers basketball star Kobe Bryant is arrested in Eagle, Colorado for sexual assault, charges eventually dismissed
- 2004-03-02 Saint Joseph's Hawks finish their college basketball season with an 82-50 win over St. Bonaventure; Hawks undefeated with a perfect 27-0 record in A-10 East Conference
- 2004-08-27 In a huge upset in the men's basketball semi final at the Athens Olympics, Argentina beats a star-studded but unsettled US team 89-81; they go on to take gold and US bronze
- 2004-08-28 Led by San Antonio Spurs shooting guard Manu Ginóbili Argentina beats Italy 84-69 for the Olympic basketball gold medal in Athens; star-studded US team takes bronze
- 2004-08-28 The US women's basketball team goes through the Athens Olympics undefeated to win its 5th Olympic gold medal, beating Australia 74-63 in the final
- 2006-02-01 High school senior Epiphanny Prince scores US girls national prep basketball record 113 points in Murry Bergtraum HS's 137-32 win over Brandeis HS; surpasses Cheryl Miller's 105
- 2006-09-01 The United States men's basketball team is upset at the World Basketball Championships in Saitama, Japan, as the hot-shooting Greece pulls off a 101-95 semi final victory
Sports History
2007-12-01 T. C. Williams High School’s newly constructed basketball court is named after Earl Lloyd
Olympic Gold
2008-08-23 The star-studded American women's basketball team led by the likes of Lisa Leslie, Sue Bird & Diana Taurasi win the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics with a convincing 92-65 win over Australia
Olympic Gold
2008-08-24 The star-studded American men's basketball team led by the likes of LeBron James, Chris Paul & Kobe Bryant win the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics with a relatively narrow 118-107 win over Spain
- 2010-04-02 Basketball superstar Kobe Bryant signs a three-year contract extension with the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers worth $87 million
Sports History
2012-07-11 Future Basketball Hall of Fame guard Steve Nash is traded by the Phoenix Suns to the Los Angeles Lakers
Sports History
2016-08-21 Kevin Durant scores 30 as the US retains the Olympic men's basketball title with a comfortable 96-66 win over Serbia at the Rio de Janeiro Games
- 2018-07-17 Australian basketball center Liz Cambage scores 53 points as the Dallas Wings beat the NY Liberty 104-87 to set new WNBA single game scoring record
- 2018-07-22 Seattle basketball guard Sue Bird plays record 500th WNBA game as Storm go down 87-74 to the Atlanta Dream; finishes career on 508 games for Seattle
- 2018-12-13 German basketball forward Dirk Nowitzki takes the court for his record 21st NBA season with the Dallas Mavericks, surpassing Kobe Bryant's 20 seasons with the LA Lakers
- 2019-04-07 Retiring NBA legends Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas) and Dwyane Wade (Miami) play their final home games, both victories; Magic Johnson sensationally quits as LA Lakers president of basketball operations; Houston Rockets convert NBA record 27 three-point field goals in 149-113 win over Phoenix
- 2021-07-25 USA's men's basketball team see their 25-game Olympic winning streak end; beaten 83-76 by France in first round match in Tokyo
- 2021-08-07 Kevin Durant with 29 points leads USA to his third and the team's 4th consecutive Olympic men's basketball gold medal with an 87-82 win over France in Tokyo
- 2021-08-08 USA women's basketball team wins it's record extending 7th consecutive Olympic gold medal with 90-75 win over Japan in Tokyo; guards Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi each win their 5th straight gold
- 2022-12-08 American basketball star Brittany Griner is released by Russian authorities in a prisoner exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout; Griner detained on drug smuggling charges since February 2022
Birthdays in Sport
Birthdays 101 - 200 of 421
- 1932-06-18 Carl Tacy, American college basketball coach (Wake Forest University 1972-85; 222-149 record), born in Huttonsville, West Virginia (d. 2020)
- 1932-07-17 Bobby Leonard, American Basketball Hall of Fame coach (ABA C'ship 1970, 72, 73; Indiana Pacers) & point guard (Minneapolis/LA Lakers, Chicago Packers/Zephyrs), born in Terre Haute, Indiana (d. 2021)
- 1932-07-17 Johnny Kerr, American basketball forward (NBA All Star 1956, 59, 63; Syracuse Nats/Philadelphia 76ers), coach (Chicago Bulls, Phoenix Suns) and broadcaster (Chicago Bulls), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2009)
- 1932-09-17 Tom Young, American basketball coach (American Uni, Rutgers Uni, Catholic Uni, Old Dominion Uni), born in Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania (d. 2022)
- 1932-10-29 Dick Garmaker, American basketball guard (NBA All Star 1957-60; Minneapolis Lakers), born in Hibbing, Minnesota (d. 2020)
Bob Pettit (90 years old)
1932-12-12 American Basketball Hall of Fame forward (NBA MVP 1956, 59), born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- 1933-06-17 Maurice Stokes, American Basketball HOF power forward (NBA All-Star 1956, 57, 58; NBA Rookie of the Year 1956; Rochester/Cincinnati Royals), born in Rankin, Pennsylvania (d. 1970)
- 1933-06-24 Sam Jones, American College/Basketball HOF guard (North Carolina Central Uni; 10 × NBA C'ships; NBA All-Star 1962, 64–66, 68; Boston Celtics), born in Wilmington, North Carolina (d. 2021)
- 1933-08-17 Boyd Grant, American college basketball coach (PCAA Coach of the Year 1978, 81, 82; Fresno State, Colorado State), born in American Falls, Idaho (d. 2020)
- 1933-09-25 Hubie Brown, American Basketball Hall of Fame coach, broadcaster (2-time NBA Coach of the Year), born in Hazleton, Pennsylvania
- 1933-12-04 Dick Ricketts Jr., American basketball center (# 1 overall pick 1955 NBA draft St. Louis Hawks) and baseball pitcher (St. Louis Cardinals), born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania (d. 1988)
Bill Russell (1934-2022)
1934-02-12 American Basketball HOF center (11 × NBA C'ship; 5 x NBA MVP; 12 x NBA All-Star; Boston Celtics; Olympic gold 1956) and coach (NBA C'ship 1968, 69 Boston Celtics), born in West Monroe, Louisiana [1]
Elgin Baylor (1934-2021)
1934-09-16 American Basketball Hall of Fame small forward (11 x NBA All Star; NBA All-Star Game MVP 1959; Minneapolis/LA Lakers), born in Washington, D.C.
- 1934-09-22 Lute Olson, American Basketball Hall of Fame coach (Uni of Iowa 1974-83; NCAA Division I Tournament 1997, Uni of Arizona 1983-2008), born in Mayville, North Dakota (d. 2020)
- 1934-11-03 Bob Hopkins, American basketball forward and coach (Syracuse Nationals; Seattle SuperSonics), born in Jonesboro, Louisiana (d. 2015)
- 1934-11-30 Steve Hamilton, American baseball pitcher (New York Yankees) and basketball forward (Minneapolis Lakers), born in Columbia, Kentucky (d. 1997)
- 1934-12-29 Benny Dees, American college basketball coach (U of New Orleans; U of Wyoming; Western Carolina Uni), born in Mount Vernon, Georgia (d. 2021)
- 1935-03-05 Billy Tubbs, American college basketball coach (Southwestern Uni, Lamar Uni, Uni of Oklahoma, Texas Christian Uni), born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 2020)
- 1935-08-21 Vladimir Obukhov, Russian basketball coach (Soviet Union & Malta men's national teams; MBC Dynamo Moscow), born in Moscow, Russia (d. 2020)
- 1935-09-25 Harv Schmidt, American college basketball coach (University of Illinois 1967-74), born in Kankakee, Illinois (d. 2020)
- 1935-09-27 Jerome Shipp, American basketball (Olympic gold 1964)
- 1936-03-08 Sonny Allen, American basketball coach (ODU, Southern Methodist University, University of Nevada, Reno; WNBA Sacramento Monarchs), born in Moundsville, West Virginia (d. 2020)
- 1936-03-12 Eddie Sutton, Basketball Hall of Fame coach (Creighton, Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma State; first coach to take 4 schools to NCAA tournament), born in Bucklin, Kansas (d. 2020)
Wilt Chamberlain (1936-1999)
1936-08-21 American College / Basketball HOF center (4 x NBA MVP; 13 x All Star; NBA C'ship 1967, 72 [MVP]; Philadelphia/SF Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, LA Lakers), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- 1936-10-02 Dick Barnett, American basketball guard (NBA All Star 1968; NBA C'ship 1970, 73 NY Knicks), born in Gary, Indiana
- 1936-12-14 Carl Scheer, American basketball executive (general manager Denver Nuggets, LA Clippers, Charlotte Hornets; inventor NBA Slam Dunk Contest), born in Springfield, Massachusetts (d. 2019)
- 1937-03-02 Denny Crum, American College Basketball & Basketball Hall of Fame coach (University of Louisville 1971-2001; NCAA C'ship 1980, 86; 6 x Final Fours), born in San Fernando, California
- 1937-03-26 Wayne Embry, American Basketball HOF center (5 x NBA All Star; NBA C'ship 1968 Boston Celtics) and executive (NBA Executive of the Year 1992 Cleveland Cavaliers, 1998 Toronto Raptors), born in Springfield, Ohio
- 1937-05-29 Harry Statham, American basketball coach (McKendree Uni; 1,122 wins in 52 seasons), born in Brookport, Illinois
- 1937-05-31 Bob Ferry, American basketball forward (St. Louis Hawks, Detroit Pistons, Baltimore Bullets) and executive (GM Washington Bullets; NBA Exec of the Year 1979, 82), born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 2021)
- 1937-07-13 Cal Ramsey, American basketball broadcaster, small forward (NY Knicks), born in Selma, Alabama (d. 2019)
- 1937-09-15 Tony Yates, American college basketball point guard (National C'ship 1961, 62; Cincinnati Bearcats) and head coach (Cincinnati 1983-89), born in Lawrenceburg, Indiana (d. 2020)
- 1937-10-26 Dave Gavitt, American basketball coach, formed Basketball's Big East Conference (1979), born in Westerly, Rhode Island (d. 2011)
Jerry West (84 years old)
1938-05-28 American Basketball Hall of Fame guard, executive (LA Lakers, 14-time NBA All Star), born in Chelyan, West Virginia
- 1938-08-06 Bernardino Lombao, Spanish handballer (Atlético de Madrid 1967-69), coach (Nat basketball teams) and TV presenter (De Olimpia a Los Ángeles, Objetivo 92), born in Ribas de Sil, Spain (d. 2020)
- 1938-08-10 Lou Campanelli, American basketball coach (James Madison University 1972-85; University of California, Berkeley 1986-93), born in Elizabeth, New Jersey (d. 2023)
- 1938-12-27 Ron Greene, American college basketball coach (Uni of New Orleans, Mississippi State, Murray State, Indiana State), born in Terre Haute, Indiana (d. 2021)
- 1939-01-31 Johnny Egan, American basketball point guard (Detroit Pistons, NY Knicks, Baltimore Bullets, LA Lakers, SD/Houston Rockets) and coach (Houston Rockets 1973-76), born in Hartford, Connecticut (d. 2022)
- 1939-05-18 Neil McCarthy, American college basketball coach (Weber State Uni 1974-85, New Mexico State Uni 1985-97), born in San Francisco, California (d. 2021)
- 1939-06-09 Dick Vitale, American basketball sportscaster (ESPN), born in Passaic, New Jersey
- 1939-06-23 Charlie Spoonhour, American basketball coach (Southwest Missouri State, Saint Louis, UNLV), born in Mulberry, Kansas (d. 2012)
- 1939-07-15 Don Kojis, American basketball forward (NBA All-Star 1968, 69; Detroit Pistons, SD Rockets, Seattle SuperSonics), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (d. 2021)
- 1939-07-24 Walt Bellamy, American Basketball Hall of Fame center (NBA All-Star 1962–65; NBA Rookie of Year 1962; Olympic gold 1960), born in New Bern, North Carolina (d. 2013)
- 1939-10-25 Zelmo Beaty, American Basketball HOF center (2 × NBA All-Star; 3 × ABA All-Star; St Louis Hawks, Utah Stars, LA Lakers), born in Hillister, Texas (d. 2013)
- 1940-02-22 Chet Walker, American basketball forward (NBA All-Star 1964, 66, 67, 70, 71, 73, 74; NBA C'ship 1967, Philadelphia 76ers; Chicago Bulls), born in Bethlehem, Mississippi
- 1940-02-25 Billy Packer, American college basketball broadcaster (Raycom Sports, NBC, CBS), born in Wellsville, New York (d. 2023)
- 1940-04-16 Dick Versace, American basketball coach (Bradley University, Indiana Pacers), broadcaster (TNT) and executive (GM Memphis Grizzlies), born in Fort Bragg, North Carolina (d. 2022)
- 1940-04-18 Jaak Lipso, Estonian basketball center (FIBA World C'ship gold 1967 USSR; Olympic silver 1964, bronze 1968; CSKA Moscow), born in Tallinn, Estonia (d. 2023)
- 1940-05-07 Jerry Harkness, American College Basketball HOF point guard (Loyola [Illinois]; New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers), born in Harlem, New York (d. 2021)
- 1940-10-25 Bobby Knight, American college basketball coach (Indiana, Olympic gold 1984), born in Massillon, Ohio
- 1940-11-23 Gene Visscher, American college basketball coach (Weber State University 1971-74; Northern Arizona University 1981-83), born in Muskegon, Michigan (d. 2022)
- 1941-01-31 Len Chappell, American basketball forward (NBA All Star 1964 NY Knicks; All-American 1962 Wake Forest Uni), born in Portage, Pennsylvania (d. 2018)
Nate Thurmond (1941-2016)
1941-07-25 American Basketball Hall of Fame forward (7-time NBA All Star), born in Akron, Ohio
- 1941-09-02 John Thompson, American Basketball Hall of Fame center, coach and broadcaster (NBA C'ship 1965, 66, Boston Celtics; coach NCAA C'ship 1984, Georgetown), born in Washington, D.C. (d. 2020)
- 1941-10-31 Luke Jackson, American basketball center/forward (Olympic gold 1964; NBA C'ship 1967 Philadelphia 76ers; NBA All Star 1965), born in San Marcos, Texas (d. 2022)
- 1942-03-28 Jerry Sloan, American Basketball Hall of Fame coach (Utah Jazz 1988-2011) and shooting guard (NBA All-Star 1967, 69; Chicago Bulls), born in McLeansboro, Illinois (d. 2020)
- 1942-04-02 Terry Holland, American college basketball coach (Davidson, Virginia) and athletics administrator (Davidson, Virginia, East Carolina), born in Clinton, North Carolina (d. 2023)
- 1942-04-15 Walt Hazzard, American basketball player (Olympic gold 1964), born in Wilmington, Delaware (d. 2011)
- 1942-05-10 Jim Calhoun, American College Basketball & Basketball Hall of Fame coach (Men's NCAA National C'ship 1999, 2004, 11; UConn; University of Saint Joseph), born in Braintree, Massachusetts
- 1942-05-19 Curly Neal, American basketball guard (Harlem Globetrotters 1963-85), born in Greensboro, North Carolina (d. 2020)
Willis Reed (1942-2023)
1942-06-25 American Basketball HOF center (NBA C'ship 1970 [MVP], 1973 [MVP]; NBA MVP 1970; 7 × NBA All-Star; NY Knicks) and coach (NY Knicks, NJ Nets), born in Dubach, Louisiana
- 1942-08-16 Les Hunter, American basketball center (NCAA C'ship 1963, Loyola Ramblers; NBA: Baltimore Bullets; ABA All Star 1968, 69; Miami Floridians), born in Nashville, Tennessee (d. 2020)
- 1942-09-22 David Stern, American basketball executive (NBA commissioner 1984-2014; longest-tenured commissioner in history of major North American sports leagues), born in Manhattan, New York (d. 2020)
- 1942-11-02 Ron Reed, American basketball forward (Detroit Pistons) and baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 1968 Atlanta Braves; World Series 1980 Philadelphia Phillies), born in LaPorte, Indiana
- 1943-05-05 Billie Moore, American Basketball HOF coach (NCAA National C'ship California State-Fullerton Titans 1970, UCLA Bruins 1978), born in Humansville, Missouri (d. 2022)
Billy Cunningham (79 years old)
1943-06-03 American Basketball Hall of Fame forward (NBA C'ship 1967 Philadelphia 76ers) and coach (NBA C'ship 1983 Philadelphia 76ers; 4 x HC NBA All Star Game), born in Brooklyn, New York
- 1943-07-12 Paul Silas, American College Basketball HOF forward (NBA C'ship 1974, 76 Boston Celtics, 1979 Seattle SuperSonics; 2 x NBA All-Star) and coach (Charlotte/NO Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Charlotte Bobcats), born in Prescott, Arkansas (d. 2022)
Bill Bradley (79 years old)
1943-07-28 American Basketball Hall of Fame forward (NBA C'ship 1970, 73; NBA All-Star 1973; NY Knicks), and politician (Democratic US Senator 1979-97), born in Crystal City, Missouri
- 1943-10-29 Dušan Ivković, Serbian basketball point guard (Radnički Belgrade) and coach (Yugoslavia 1987-95; Serbia 2008-13; FIBA HOF), born in Belgrade. Serbia (d. 2021)
- 1943-11-23 Petar Skansi, Croatian basketball center (Olympic silver Yugoslavia 1968; Jugoplastika) and coach (Yugoslavia, Croatia, Jugoplastika, Benetton Treviso), born in Sumartin, Croatia (d. 2022)
- 1943-11-24 Dave Bing, American Basketball Hall of Fame point guard (7-time NBA All Star), born in Washington, D.C.
Rick Barry (79 years old)
1944-03-28 basketball forward (NY Nets, Golden State Warriors), born in Elizabeth, New Jersey
- 1944-04-21 Adrian Hurley, Australian basketball coach
- 1944-11-17 Jim Boeheim, Basketball Hall of Fame coach (Syracuse; John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award 2006), born in Lyons, New York
- 1944-11-21 Earl "the Pearl" Monroe, American basketball HOF guard (4 x NBA All-Star; NBA C'ship 1973 NY Knicks; NBA Rookie of the Year 1968 Baltimore Bullets), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- 1945-02-26 Giannis Ioannidis, Greek basketball coach (12 × Greek League C'ship; 6 × Greek Cup winner; GS Larissas, Aris, Olympiacos, AEK, Greece 1982–90), born in Thessaloniki, Greece
- 1945-05-03 Joanne Bracker, American college basketball coach (Midland University 1970-2012; Women's Basketball HOF), born in Mondamin, Iowa (d. 2023)
Elvin Hayes (77 years old)
1945-11-17 American Basketball Hall of Fame forward (NBA All-Star 1969–1980; NBA scoring champion 1969), born in Rayville, Louisiana
- 1946-03-14 Wes Unseld, American Basketball Hall of Fame center and coach (NBA C'ship, Finals MVP 1978; NBA MVP 1969; 5 x NBA All-Star; Washington Bullets), born in Louisville, Kentucky (d. 2020)
- 1946-07-13 Bob Kauffman, American NBA basketball forward, 1968-75, 3X All-Star (Buffalo Braves and 3 other teams), and coach, 1977-78 (Detroit Pistons), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2015)
- 1946-11-16 Jo Jo White, American basketballer (Olympic gold - 1968), born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 2018)
- 1946-11-24 Jimmy Collins, American basketball shooting guard (Chicago Bulls) and coach (University of Illinois, Chicago 1996-2010), born in Syracuse, New York (d. 2020)
- 1947-02-13 Mike Krzyzewski, US basketball coach, born in Chicago, Illinois
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (75 years old)
1947-04-16 American Basketball Hall of Fame center (6 x NBA champion; NBA Finals MVP 1971, 85; 6 × NBA MVP; 19 × NBA All-Star), born in NYC, New York
- 1947-08-11 Sergey Kovalneko, USSR, basketball (Olympic bronze 1968)
- 1948-02-17 Rick Majerus, American college basketball coach (5 × WAC Coach of the Year; Uni of Utah), born in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin (d. 2012)
- 1948-03-10 Austin Carr, American basketball guard (NBA All-Star 1974; NBA All-Rookie First Team 1972; Cleveland Cavaliers), born in Washington D.C.
- 1948-04-02 Jim McDaniels, American basketball forward (All American 1971; Western Kentucky Uni; No. 1 overall pick ABA Draft 1971; ABA All-Star 1972; Carolina Cougars), born in Scottsville, Kentucky (d. 2017)
- 1949-01-11 Chris Ford, American basketball guard (NBA C'ship 1971 Detroit Pistons; Boston Celtics) and coach (Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, LA Clippers), born in Atlantic City, New Jersey (d. 2023)
- 1949-01-28 Gregg Popovich, American basketball coach and general manager (San Antonio Spurs; most wins in NBA history), born in East Chicago, Indiana
- 1949-04-22 Spencer Haywood, American Basketball Hall of Fame forward (Olympic gold 1968; NBA C'ship 1980 LA Lakers; NBA All-Star 1972–75; ABA All-Star Game MVP 1970), born in Silver City, Mississippi
- 1949-05-30 P.J. Carlesimo, American basketball coach
Julius Erving (73 years old)
1950-02-22 American Basketball Hall of Fame forward (11-time NBA All Star) known as "Dr. J", born in East Meadow, New York
- 1950-03-04 Rafael Canizares Poey, Cuban basketballer (Olympic bronze 1972), born in Alacs Mtnzs, Cuba
- 1950-04-17 Kevin Porter, American basketball point guard (NBA assists leader 1975, 78-79, 81), born in Chicago, Illinois
- 1950-11-03 Skip Prosser, American basketball coach (only coach to take 3 schools to NCAA Tournament in first year; Loyola [MD], Xavier, Wake Forest), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 2007)
- 1950-11-30 Paul Westphal, American Basketball Hall of Fame guard (NBA C'ship 1974; NBA All-Star 1977–81; Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns) and coach (Phoenix Suns, Seattle SuperSonics, Sacramento Kings), born in Torrance, California (d. 2021)
- 1951-02-16 Larry Finch, American college basketball coach (University of Memphis 1986-97), born in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 2011)
- 1951-05-08 Mike D'Antoni, American basketball coach (NBA Coach of the Year 2005, 17; Houston Rockets; LA Lakers, NY Knicks, Phoenix Suns), born in Mullens, West Virginia
- 1951-10-04 Truck Robinson, American basketball forward (NBA All Star 1978, 81; New Orleans Jazz; NBA rebound leader 1978), born in Jacksonville, Florida
Deaths in Sport
- 2020-01-01 David Stern, American basketball executive (NBA commissioner 1984-2014; longest-tenured commissioner in history of major North American sports leagues), dies from a brain haemorrhage at 77
- 2020-01-21 Morgan Wootten, American Basketball Hall of Fame coach (46 seasons DeMatha Catholic HS, Hyattsville, Maryland; National C'ships 1962, 65, 68, 78, 84), dies at 88
Kobe Bryant (1978-2020)
2020-01-26 American basketball guard (NBA champion 2000–02, 09-10; NBA MVP 2008; 18 x NBA All Star; LA Lakers; Olympic gold 2008, 12), dies in a helicopter crash at 41
- 2020-03-20 Borislav Stanković, Serbian Basketball Hall of Fame administrator (International Basketball Federation secretary general 1976-2002), dies at 94
- 2020-03-26 Curly Neal, American basketball guard (Harlem Globetrotters 1963-85), dies at 77
- 2020-03-27 Les Hunter, American basketball center (NCAA C'ship 1963, Loyola Ramblers; NBA: Baltimore Bullets; ABA All Star 1968, 69; Miami Floridians), dies from cancer at 77
- 2020-04-02 Carl Tacy, American college basketball coach (Wake Forest University 1972-85; 222-149 record), dies at 87
- 2020-04-07 Harv Schmidt, American college basketball coach (University of Illinois 1967-74), dies at 83
- 2020-04-23 Bernardino Lombao, Spanish handballer (Atlético de Madrid 1967-69), coach (Nat basketball teams) and TV presenter (De Olimpia a Los Ángeles, Objetivo 92), dies at 81
- 2020-05-16 Tony Yates, American college basketball point guard (National C'ship 1961, 62; Cincinnati Bearcats) and head coach (Cincinnati 1983-89), dies at 82
- 2020-05-22 Jerry Sloan, American Basketball Hall of Fame coach (Utah Jazz 1988-2011) and shooting guard (NBA All-Star 1967, 69; Chicago Bulls), dies from Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia at 78
- 2020-05-23 Eddie Sutton, Basketball Hall of Fame coach (Creighton, Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma State; first coach to take 4 schools to NCAA tournament), dies at 84
- 2020-06-02 Wes Unseld, American Basketball Hall of Fame center and coach (NBA C'ship, Finals MVP 1978; NBA MVP 1969; 5 x NBA All-Star; Washington Bullets), dies from pneumonia at 74
- 2020-06-13 Dick Garmaker, American basketball guard (NBA All Star 1957-60; Minneapolis Lakers), dies at 87
- 2020-07-16 Vladimir Obukhov, Russian basketball coach (Soviet Union & Malta men's national teams; MBC Dynamo Moscow), dies at 84
- 2020-07-25 Lou Henson, American College Basketball Hall of Fame coach (all-time leader in victories University of Illinois and New Mexico State), dies of lymphoma at 88
- 2020-08-17 Boyd Grant, American college basketball coach (PCAA Coach of the Year 1978, 81, 82; Fresno State, Colorado State), dies from a stroke at 87
- 2020-08-27 Lute Olson, American Basketball Hall of Fame coach (Uni of Iowa 1974-83; NCAA Division I Tournament 1997, Uni of Arizona 1983-2008), dies from stroke complications at 85
- 2020-08-29 Clifford Robinson, American basketball center (NBA All Star 1994; 6th Man of Year Award 1993; Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers), dies from lymphoma at 53
- 2020-08-31 John Thompson, American Basketball Hall of Fame center, coach and broadcaster (NBA C'ship 1965, 66, Boston Celtics; coach NCAA C'ship 1984, Georgetown), dies at 78
- 2020-09-06 Tom Jernstedt, American Basketball Hall of Fame administrator (NCAA 1972-2010), dies at 75
- 2020-09-11 Sonny Allen, American basketball coach (ODU, Southern Methodist University, University of Nevada, Reno; WNBA Sacramento Monarchs), dies of Parkinson's Disease at 84
- 2020-09-20 Garland F. Pinholster, American college basketball coach (USA: gold Pan American Games 1963; Oglethorpe University 1956-66), dies at 92
- 2020-11-01 Billy Tubbs, American college basketball coach (Southwestern Uni, Lamar Uni, Uni of Oklahoma, Texas Christian Uni), dies from leukemia at 85
- 2020-11-02 Nancy Darsch, American women's basketball coach (Ohio State Uni; assistant coach US Olympic gold 1984, 96; NY Liberty, Washington Mystics), dies of Parkinson's disease at 68
- 2020-11-17 Walt Davis, American athlete (Olympic gold high jump 1952) and basketball center (NBA C'ship 1956, 58; Philadelphia Warriors, St. Louis Hawks), dies at 89
- 2020-12-13 Jimmy Collins, American basketball shooting guard (Chicago Bulls) and coach (University of Illinois, Chicago 1996-2010), dies from heart surgery complications at 74
- 2020-12-25 K. C. Jones, American Basketball Hall of Fame point guard (Olympic gold 1956; NBA C'ship 1959–66, Boston Celtics) and coach (NBA C'ship 1984, 86; Boston Celtics), dies from Alzheimer's disease at 88
- 2021-01-02 Paul Westphal, American Basketball Hall of Fame guard (NBA C'ship 1974; NBA All-Star 1977–81; Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns) and coach (NBA: Phoenix, Seattle, Sacramento), dies from glioblastoma at 70
- 2021-01-10 Dee Rowe, American college basketball coach (UConn Huskies men's team 1969-76; 103–78 [.569]), dies at 91
- 2021-01-29 John Chaney, American Basketball Hall of Fame college coach (Cheyney University, Temple University), dies at 89
- 2021-03-01 Vladimír Heger, Czech basketball coach (Czechoslovakia 1965-69, 72-76; Netherlands 1983-85), dies at 89
Elgin Baylor (1934-2021)
2021-03-22 American Basketball Hall of Fame small forward (11 x NBA All Star; NBA All-Star Game MVP 1959; Minneapolis/LA Lakers), dies at 86
- 2021-03-23 Benny Dees, American college basketball coach (U of New Orleans; U of Wyoming; Western Carolina Uni), dies at 86
- 2021-03-25 Stan Albeck, American basketball coach (Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs, New Jersey Nets, Chicago Bulls), dies from a stroke at 89
- 2021-03-31 Ron Greene, American college basketball coach (Uni of New Orleans, Mississippi State, Murray State, Indiana State), dies at 82
- 2021-04-13 Bobby Leonard, American Basketball Hall of Fame coach (ABA C'ship 1970, 72, 73; Indiana Pacers) & point guard (Minneapolis/LA Lakers, Chicago Packers/Zephyrs), dies at 88
- 2021-06-15 Jim Phelan, American college basketball coach (Mount Saint Mary's University 1954–2003), dies at 92
- 2021-07-04 Eddie Payne, American college basketball coach (USC Upstate, Oregon State Uni, Greensboro College), dies from a stroke at 69
- 2021-07-15 Dennis Murphy, American sports entrepreneur (co-founder American Basketball Ass'n, World Hockey Ass'n, original World Team Tennis, Roller Hockey International), dies at 94
- 2021-08-02 June Daugherty, American women's college basketball coach (Boise State Uni, Uni of Washington, Washington State University), dies from heart issues at 64
- 2021-08-24 Jerry Harkness, American College Basketball HOF point guard (Loyola [Illinois]; New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers), dies at 81
- 2021-09-16 Dušan Ivković, Serbian basketball point guard (Radnički Belgrade) and coach (Yugoslavia 1987-95; Serbia 2008-13; FIBA HOF), dies from pulmonary edema and herpes at 77
- 2021-09-18 Neil McCarthy, American college basketball coach (Weber State Uni 1974-85, New Mexico State Uni 1985-97), dies at 82
- 2021-10-12 Leon Black, American college basketball coach (Texas Longhorns men's team 1967-76), dies at 89
- 2021-10-27 Bob Ferry, American basketball forward (St. Louis Hawks, Detroit Pistons, Baltimore Bullets) and executive (GM Washington Bullets; NBA Exec of the Year 1979, 82), dies at 84
- 2021-11-19 Don Kojis, American basketball forward (NBA All-Star 1968, 69; Detroit Pistons, SD Rockets, Seattle SuperSonics), dies at 82
- 2021-12-30 Sam Jones, American College/Basketball HOF guard (North Carolina Central Uni; 10 × NBA C'ships; NBA All-Star 1962, 64–66, 68; Boston Celtics), dies at 88
- 2022-01-15 Joe B. Hall, American Basketball HOF coach (NCAA Division I C'ship 1978; University of Kentucky 1972-85), dies at 93
- 2022-01-18 Lusia Harris, American Basketball HOF center (AIAW C'ship & MVP 1975–77, Delta State University; Olympic silver 1976), dies at 66
- 2022-02-02 Bill Fitch, American Basketball HOF coach (NBA C'ship 1981, Boston Celtics; NBA Coach of the Year 1976, 80; NBA All-Star coach 1982; Cleveland Cavaliers; NJ Nets, Houston Rockets, LA Clippers), dies at 89
- 2022-02-25 Dick Versace, American basketball coach (Bradley University, Indiana Pacers), broadcaster (TNT) and executive (GM Memphis Grizzlies), dies at 81
- 2022-03-19 Tom Young, American basketball coach (American Uni, Rutgers Uni, Catholic Uni, Old Dominion Uni), dies at 89
- 2022-03-26 Joe Williams, American men's college basketball coach (Jacksonville Uni 1964-70; Furman Uni 1970-78; Florida State Uni 1978-86), dies at 88
- 2022-04-03 Gene Shue, American NBA basketball guard, 1954-64, 5X All-Star (New York Knicks, Fort Wayne/Detroit Pistons, and 2 other teams), and NBA coach, 1966-89, 2X Coach of the Year (Baltimore/Washington Bullets, Philadelphia 76ers, and 2 other teams), dies from melanoma at 90
- 2022-04-04 Petar Skansi, Croatian basketball center (Olympic silver Yugoslavia 1968; Jugoplastika) and coach (Yugoslavia, Croatia, Jugoplastika, Benetton Treviso), dies at 78
- 2022-04-10 John Drew, American basketball small forward (NBA All-Star 1976, 80; Atlanta Hawks, Utah Jazz), dies from bone cancer at 67
- 2022-05-10 Bob Lanier, American Basketball HOF center (8 x NBA All-Star; NBA All-Star Game MVP 1974; Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks), dies at 73
- 2022-07-07 Pedro Ferrándiz, Spanish basketball coach (EuroLeague 1965, 67, 68, 74 Real Madrid; Spain 1964-65), dies at 93
- 2022-07-21 Johnny Egan, American basketball point guard (Detroit Pistons, NY Knicks, Baltimore Bullets, LA Lakers, SD/Houston Rockets) and coach (Houston Rockets 1973-76), dies after a fall at 83
Bill Russell (1934-2022)
2022-07-31 American Basketball HOF center (11 × NBA C'ship; 5 x NBA MVP; 12 x NBA All-Star; Boston Celtics; Olympic gold 1956) and coach (NBA C'ship 1968, 69 Boston Celtics), dies at 88 [1]
- 2022-08-06 Gene Visscher, American college basketball coach (Weber State University 1971-74; Northern Arizona University 1981-83), dies at 81
- 2022-08-15 Pete Carril, American basketball coach (13 × Ivy League champion, Princeton University), dies at 92
- 2022-10-12 Luke Jackson, American basketball center/forward (Olympic gold 1964; NBA C'ship 1967 Philadelphia 76ers; NBA All Star 1965), dies from heart failure at 80
- 2022-10-21 Jim Bolla Jr., American college basketball coach (UNLV Women 1982-96; Uni of Hawaii 2004-09), dies of cancer at 70
- 2022-11-26 Charles Wolf, American basketball coach (Cincinnati Royals 1960-63, Detroit Pistons 1963-64), dies at 96
- 2022-12-10 Paul Silas, American College Basketball HOF forward (NBA C'ship 1974, 76 Boston Celtics, 1979 Seattle SuperSonics; 2 x NBA All-Star) and coach (Charlotte/NO Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Charlotte Bobcats), dies from a heart attack at 79
- 2022-12-14 Billie Moore, American Basketball HOF coach (NCAA National C'ship California State-Fullerton Titans 1970, UCLA Bruins 1978), dies of multiple myeloma at 79
- 2022-12-15 Louis Orr, American college basketball coach (Bowling Green State University 2007–14, Seton Hall 2001-06), dies from cancer at 64
- 2022-12-27 Arnie Ferrin, American College Basketball HOF guard (NCAA C'ship, Final Four MOB 1944 Uni of Utah; NBA C'ship Minneapolis Lakers 1949, 50), dies at 97
- 2023-01-17 Chris Ford, American basketball guard (NBA C'ship 1971 Detroit Pistons; Boston Celtics) and coach (Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, LA Clippers), dies from a heart attack at 74
- 2023-01-26 Billy Packer, American college basketball broadcaster (Raycom Sports, NBC, CBS), dies of kidney failure at 82
- 2023-01-31 Lou Campanelli, American basketball coach (James Madison University 1972-85; University of California, Berkeley 1986-93), dies at 84
- 2023-02-01 Joanne Bracker, American college basketball coach (Midland University 1970-2012; Women's Basketball HOF), dies at 77
- 2023-02-26 Fred Shabel, American basketball coach (Connecticut Huskies 1963-67) and executive (AD University of Pennsylvania 1967-75; Comcast Spectacor), dies at 90
- 2023-02-26 Terry Holland, American college basketball coach (Davidson, Virginia) and athletics administrator (Davidson, Virginia, East Carolina), dies at 80
- 2023-03-03 Jaak Lipso, Estonian basketball center (FIBA World C'ship gold 1967 USSR; Olympic silver 1964, bronze 1968; CSKA Moscow), dies at 82
- 2023-03-11 Harry "Bud" Grant, American Pro Football HOF coach (NFL Coach of the Year 1969 Minnesota Vikings; 4 x Grey Cup C'ship Winnipeg Blue Bombers) and basketball forward (NBA C'ship 1950 Minnesota Lakers), dies at 95 [1]