2004 in basketball
# 2004 in basketball

The following are the basketball events of the year 2004 throughout the world.

## Champions

### Olympics

* Men

    Argentina
    Italy
    United States
* Women

    United States
    Australia
    Russia

### Professional

* Men
   * 2004 NBA Finals: Detroit Pistons over the Los Angeles Lakers 4-1. MVP: Chauncey Billups
      * 2003-04 NBA season
      * 2004 NBA Playoffs
      * 2004 NBA draft
      * 2004 NBA All-Star Game
   * Eurobasket: None.
   * Euroleague:
      * Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Skipper Bologna 118-74 in the final
   * ULEB Cup
      * Hapoel Migdal Jerusalem defeated Real Madrid 83-72
* Women
   * WNBA Finals: Seattle Storm over Connecticut Sun 2-1. MVP: Betty Lennox
      * 2004 WNBA season
      * 2004 WNBA Playoffs
      * 2004 WNBA draft
      * 2004 WNBA All-Star Game
   * Eurobasket Women: None.

### College

* Men
   * NCAA Division I: Connecticut 82, Georgia Tech 73
   * National Invitation Tournament: Michigan 62, Rutgers 55
   * NCAA Division II: Kennesaw State 84, Southern Indiana 59
   * NCAA Division III: UW-Stevens Point 84, Wiliams 82
   * NAIA Division I Mountain State 74, Concordia 70
   * NAIA Division II Oregon Tech 81, Bellevue (Neb.) 70
* Women
   * NCAA Division I: Connecticut 70, Tennessee 61
   * Women's National Invitation Tournament: Creighton 73, UNLV 52
   * NCAA Division II: California (Pennsylvania) 75, Drury 72
   * NCAA Division III: Wilmington (Ohio) 59, Bowdoin 53
   * NAIA Division I: Southern Nazarene 77, Oklahoma City 61
   * NAIA Division II Morningside (Iowa) 87, Cedarville (Ohio) 74

## Awards and honors

### Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

* Class of 2003:
   * Jerry Colangelo
   * Drazen Dalipagic
   * Clyde Drexler
   * Bill Sharman
   * Maurice Stokes
   * Lynette Woodard

### Women's Basketball Hall of Fame

* Class of 2004

   * Sylvia Hatchell

   * Lurlyne Greer Rogers

   * Amy Ruley

   * Bev Smith

   * William L. Wall

   * Marian E. Washington

### Professional

* Men
   * NBA Most Valuable Player Award: Kevin Garnett
   * NBA Rookie of the Year Award: LeBron James
   * NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Ron Artest
   * NBA Coach of the Year Award: Mike D'Antoni, Phoenix Suns
   * Euroscar Award: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks and Germany
   * Mr. Europa: Pau Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies and Spain
* Women
   * WNBA Most Valuable Player Award: Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks
   * WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks
   * WNBA Rookie of the Year Award: Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury
   * WNBA Most Improved Player Award: Kelly Miller, Charlotte Sting & Wendy Palmer, Connecticut Sun
   * Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award: Teresa Edwards, Minnesota Lynx
   * WNBA Coach of the Year Award: Suzie McConnell-Serio, Minnesota Lynx
   * WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award: Betty Lennox, Seattle Storm

### Collegiate

* Combined
   * Legends of Coaching Award: Mike Montgomery, Stanford
* Men
   * John R. Wooden Award: Jameer Nelson, Saint Joseph's
   * Naismith College Coach of the Year: Phil Martelli, Saint Joseph's
   * Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Jameer Nelson, Saint Joseph's
   * Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year: Jameer Nelson, Saint Joseph's
   * NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player: Sean May, North Carolina
   * USBWA National Freshman of the Year: Luol Deng, Duke
   * Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Phil Martelli, Saint Joseph's
   * Naismith Outstanding Contribution to Basketball: George Killian
* Women
   * John R. Wooden Award: Alana Beard, Duke
   * Naismith College Player of the Year: Diana Taurasi, Connecticut
   * Naismith College Coach of the Year: Pat Summitt, Tennessee
   * Wade Trophy: Alana Beard, Duke
   * Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Erika Valek, Purdue
   * Associated Press Women's College Basketball Player of the Year: Alana Beard, Duke
   * NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player: Diana Taurasi, UConn
   * Basketball Academic All-America Team: Kelly Mazzante, Penn State
   * Carol Eckman Award: Deirdre Kane, West Chester
   * USBWA National Freshman of the Year: Tiffany Jackson, Texas
   * Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Joe Curl, Houston
   * List of Senior CLASS Award women's basketball winners: Alana Beard, Duke
   * Nancy Lieberman Award: Diana Taurasi, Connecticut
   * Naismith Outstanding Contribution to Basketball: Sonja Hogg

## Deaths

* January 9 — Yinka Dare, Nigerian center for the New Jersey Nets (born 1972)
* January 18 — Hook Dillon, All-American at North Carolina (born 1924)
* January 26 — Stanley Nantais, Canadian Olympic player (1936) (born 1913)
* January 28 — Sox Walseth, American college coach (South Dakota State, Colorado) (born 1926)
* April 11 — Hy Gotkin, All-American at St. John's (born 1922)
* July 30 — Ed Melvin, American BAA player and college coach (St. Bonaventure, Toledo) (born 1916)
* July 24 — Cotton Fitzsimmons, NBA basketball coach (born 1931)
* August 12 — George Yardley, Hall of Fame player for the Fort Wayne Pistons (born 1928)
* September 4 — Alphonso Ford, 3000-point NCAA scorer and Greek A1 League MVP (born 1971)
* December 14 — Anselmo López, Spanish coach and administrator. FIBA Hall of Fame member (born 1910)
* December 18 — Eddie Oram, All-American college player (USC), NBL player (born 1914)
* December 25 — Howie Williams, American AAU player and Olympic gold medalist (1952) (born 1927)
