2008 in basketball
The following are the basketball events of the year 2008 throughout the world.
| Years in basketball |
|---|
| 2020s
|
| 2010s
|
| 1960s
|
| 1950s
|
| 1920s
|
| 1910s
|
| 1900s
|
| See also |
|
|
Tournaments include international (FIBA), professional (club) and amateur and collegiate levels.
Tournaments
Men's tournaments
Olympics
Other tournaments
Women's tournaments
Olympics
Other tournaments
Youth tournaments
Club championships
Continental seasons
Men
| 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 |
National championships
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
- Season:
Liga Nacional de Básquet, 2007–08 season: 
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:
College
Men
| 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
- Division I: Kansas 75, Memphis 68 OT
- 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
Women
- 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
- Division I: Tennessee 64, Stanford 48
- 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
Prep
- 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
Awards and honors
Basketball Hall of Fame
- Class of 2008:[1]
- Players: Adrian Dantley, Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon
- Coaches: Pat Riley, Cathy Rush
- Contributors: William Davidson, Dick Vitale
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
- Class of 2008[2]
- Debbie Ryan
- Patty Broderick
- Lin L. Laursen
- Jill Rankin Schneider
- Suzie McConnell-Serio
- Michelle Timms
Professional
- 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
Collegiate
- Combined
- 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
Events
Movies
- More than a Game
- Semi-Pro – a screwball comedy film starring Will Ferrell, loosely based on the American Basketball Association in the 1970s.
Deaths
- 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)
References
- ^ "Hall of Famers". Basketball Hall of Fame. Retrieved 12 Oct 2014.
- ^ "Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2008". Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 17 October 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- ^ Axelrod, Phil (April 11, 2008). "Obituary: Julius McCoy / Basketball star in '50s at Farrell High School". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
External links
Media related to 2008 in basketball at Wikimedia Commons
