2008 in basketball

• FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2008 at Athens
  •  Greece
  •  Croatia
  •  Germany
• 2008 Olympics at Beijing

   United States

   Spain

   Argentina

• EuroBasket 2009 qualification

• FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women 2008 at Madrid
  •  Spain
  •  Czech Republic
  •  Latvia
  •  Belarus
  •  Brazil
• 2008 Olympics at Beijing

   United States

   Australia

   Russia

• EuroBasket Women 2009 qualification

Organizer	League / Tournament	Champion	Runner-up	Result	Playoff format
Euroleague Basketball	2007–08 EuroLeague	CSKA Moscow	Maccabi Tel Aviv	91–77	Single-game final
	2007–08 ULEB Cup	DKV Joventut	Akasvayu Girona	79–54	Single-game final
FIBA Americas	2007–08 FIBA Americas League	Peñarol	Soles de Mexicali	—	Single round-robin
FIBA Asia	2008 FIBA Asia Champions Cup	Saba Battery Tehran	Al-Rayyan Sports Club	82–75	Single-game final

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

Nation	League / Tournament	Champion	Runner-up	Result	Playoff format
Canada	2008 CIS Men's Basketball Championship	Brock Badgers	Acadia Axemen	64–61	Single-game final
Philippines	2008 Philippine Collegiate Champions Cup	De La Salle Green Archers	Ateneo Blue Eagles	71–62	Single-game final
	UAAP Season 71	Ateneo Blue Eagles	De La Salle Green Archers	2–0	Best-of-three series
	NCAA Season 84	San Beda Red Lions	JRU Heavy Bombers	2–1	Best-of-three series

• 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

• 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

• 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

• Class of 2008:^[1]
  • Players: Adrian Dantley, Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon
  • Coaches: Pat Riley, Cathy Rush
  • Contributors: William Davidson, Dick Vitale

• Class of 2008^[2]
  • Debbie Ryan
  • Patty Broderick
  • Lin L. Laursen
  • Jill Rankin Schneider
  • Suzie McConnell-Serio
  • Michelle Timms

• 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  Spain (also Memphis Grizzlies)
  • Euroscar Award: Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers and Spain (also Memphis Grizzlies)
  • Mr. Europa: Ricky Rubio, Joventut Badalona and  Spain
• 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  Russia

• 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

• The Seattle SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

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

• 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).^[3]
• 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)

Media related to 2008 in basketball at Wikimedia Commons