# 1998 in basketball

The following are the basketball events of the year 1998 throughout the world.

## Championships
### World Championships

* Men Yugoslavia 64, Russia 62
* Women USA 71, Russia 65

### Professional

* Men
** 1998 NBA Finals: Chicago Bulls over the Utah Jazz 4-2. MVP: Michael Jordan
*** 1998 NBA Playoffs, 1997-98 NBA season, 1998 NBA draft, 1998 NBA All-Star Game
** Philippine Basketball Association 1998 season:
*** Alaska Milkmen over the San Miguel Beermen 4-3 in the All-Filipino Cup Finals
*** Alaska Milkmen over the San Miguel Beermen 4-2 in the Commissioner's Finals
*** Formula Shell Zoom Masters over the Mobiline Phone Pals 4-3 in the Governor's Finals
* Women
** WNBA Finals: Houston Comets over the Phoenix Mercury 2-1. MVP: Cynthia Cooper
*** 1998 WNBA Playoffs, 1998 WNBA season, 1998 WNBA draft

### College

* Men
** NCAA Division I: University of Kentucky 78, University of Utah 69
** National Invitation Tournament: University of Minnesota def. Penn State University
** NCAA Division II: University of California-Davis 83, Kentucky Wesleyan College 77
** NCAA Division III: University of Wisconsin-Platteville 69, Hope College 53
** NAIA Division I: Georgetown College (KY) 83, Southern Nazarene University (OK) 69
** NAIA Division II: Bethel College (Indiana) (IN) 89, Oregon Institute of Technology 87
** NJCAA Division I: Indian Hills CC, Ottumwa, Iowa 83, Shelby State CC, Memphis, Tennessee 68
* Women
** NCAA Division I: Purdue University 62, Duke University 45
** NCAA Division II: North Dakota State University 92, Emporia State University 76
** NCAA Division III Washington (Mo.) 77, University of Southern Maine 69
** NAIA Division I: Union College (TN) 73-70 Southern Nazarene University (OK) 70
** NAIA Division II Walsh University (OH)) 73, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (TX) 66

### Preps

* USA Today Boys Basketball #1 Ranking: St. John's at Prospect Hall, Frederick, Maryland (25-0) Led by Jason Capel and Damien Wilkins.
* USA Today Girls Basketball #1 Ranking: Christ the King, Queens, New York (27-0) Won the New York Federation Class A title, led by Sue Bird.

## Awards and honors
### Professional

* Men
** NBA Most Valuable Player Award: Michael Jordan
** NBA Rookie of the Year Award: Tim Duncan
** NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Dikembe Mutombo
** NBA Coach of the Year Award: Larry Bird, Indiana Pacers
* Women
** WNBA Most Valuable Player Award: Cynthia Cooper, Houston Comets
** WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Teresa Weatherspoon, New York Liberty
** WNBA Rookie of the Year Award: Tracy Reid, Charlotte Sting
** Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award: Suzie McConnell Serio, Cleveland Rockers
** WNBA Coach of the Year Award: Van Chancellor, Houston Comets
** WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award: Cynthia Cooper, Houston Comets

### Collegiate

* Men
** John R. Wooden Award: Antawn Jamison, North Carolina
** Naismith College Coach of the Year: Bill Guthridge, North Carolina
** Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Earl Boykins, Eastern Michigan
** Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year: Antawn Jamison, North Carolina
** NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player: Richard Hamilton, Connecticut
** USBWA National Freshman of the Year: Larry Hughes, Saint Louis
** Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Tom Izzo, Michigan State
** Naismith Outstanding Contribution to Basketball: Dean Smith
* Women
** Naismith College Player of the Year: Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee
** Naismith College Coach of the Year: Pat Summitt, Tennessee
** Wade Trophy: Ticha Penicheiro, Old Dominion
** Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Angie Arnold, Johns Hopkins
** Associated Press Women's College Basketball Player of the Year: Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee
** NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player: Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee
** Basketball Academic All-America Team: Lisa Davies, Missouri State
** Carol Eckman Award: Kay James, Southern Mississippi
** Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Pat Summitt, Tennessee

### Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

* Class of 1998:
** Larry Bird
** Jody Conradt
** Alex Hannum
** Marques Haynes
** Aleksandar Nikolić
** Arnie Risen
** Lenny Wilkens

## Movies

* BASEketball
* He Got Game

## Deaths

* March 11 — Buddy Jeannette, Hall of Fame NBA, NBL and BAA player (born 1917)
* March 17 — Cliff Barker, American basketball player (born 1921)
* May 15 — Earl "Goat" Manigault, legendary street player (born 1944)
* June 8 — McCoy Ingram, 67, American player (Minneapolis Lakers, Harlem Globetrotters).
* July 4 — Jay Taylor, American NBA player (New Jersey Nets) (born 1967)
* August 8 — Sam Balter, member of 1936 US Olympic team (born 1909)
* November 6 — Jack Hartman, American Kansas State University coach (born 1925)
* November 6 — Fred Pralle, All-American college player (Kansas) (born 1916)
* November 13 — Red Holzman, American Basketball Hall of Fame coach who won two NBA championships with the New York Knicks (born 1920)
* December 6 — Radomir Shaper, Serbian player and administrator and FIBA Hall of Fame member (born 1925)