---

1946

Czechoslovakia defeats Italy 36-34 in the EuroBasket Final in Geneva. Hungary, led by tournament MVP Francois Nemeth, defeats France in the bronze medal game.

1947

Alfred “Butch” Beard is born in Hardinsburg, Kentucky. He led Breckinridge High School to the 1964 Kentucky state title game, where they lost to Seneca High School, led by Beard’s future University of Louisville teammate Wes Unseld.

1964

The Knicks use the #1 overall pick on Jim Barnes from Texas Western, but make a much more fortuitous selection in the second round by drafting Grambling’s Willis Reed.

1965

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then Lew Alcindor) announces that he will be attending UCLA, choosing the California school over local St. John’s, despite going down as the greatest high school player in New York City history.

1970

Dawn Staley is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was named National Player of the Year in 1988 while starring for Murrell Dobbins Vocational High School.

In game five of the NBA Finals, Willis Reed plays only eight minutes before tearing his thigh but Dave DeBusschere fills in admirably at center for the remainder of the game, helping the Knicks defeat the Lakers 107-100 to take a 3-2 series lead.

1977

After four mostly difficult seasons in charge, Bill Russell resigns as head coach of the SuperSonics.

1981

Donald Sterling purchases the San Diego Clippers from Irv Levin.

1986

George Hill is born in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 2017, he was part of a failed attempt to save his alma mater, Broad Ripple High School, which was shut down by the Indianapolis local government due to budgetary concerns.

1992

Kehinde “Victor” Oladipo is born in Silver Spring, Maryland. He has three sisters, including a twin sister named Victoria.

An exciting first round series between the Jazz and Clippers comes down to a winner-take-all game seven, with #2 seed Utah defeating #7 seed Los Angeles 98-89. Jeff Malone finishes with 25 points, while Karl Malone adds 19 points, 16 rebounds, and five blocks. It extends the Clippers’ drought to 16 years and counting without a playoff series win.

1993

Dorian Finney-Smith is born in Portsmouth, Virginia. He led I.C. Norcum High School to back-to-back Virginia state titles in 2010 and 2011.

1994

Charles Barkley scores 56 points, a Suns playoff franchise record, and grabs 14 rebounds in a 140-133 win over the Warriors in game three of the Western Conference Quarterfinals, finishing off a Phoenix sweep.

1999

Due the American Basketball League shuttering operations just a few months prior, the WNBA Draft class is stacked with already professional talent in addition to the usual crop of NCAA stars. Former ABL players to get drafted and go on to star WNBA careers include Yolanda Griffith (#2 overall to the Sacramento Monarchs), Natalie Williams (#3 overall to the Utah Starzz), Tonya Edwards (#7 overall to the Minnesota Lynx) and Dawn Staley (#9 overall to the Charlotte Sting). The top overall pick is Chamique Holdsclaw (Tennessee), who goes on to earn Rookie of the Year for the Washington Mystics.

2000

The top seeded Pacers narrowly avoid a first round upset against the Bucks, as Reggie Miller scores 18 of his 41 points in the fourth quarter to lead Indiana to a 96-95 victory in the winner-take-all game five.

2001

Vince Carter leads the way with 27 points as the Raptors close out the first playoff series victory in franchise history by defeating the Knicks 93-89 in game five of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

2003

Tim Duncan of the Spurs is named NBA league MVP for the second consecutive season. Kevin Garnett finishes a close second in voting, followed by Kobe Bryant in third.

The #1 seed Pistons stave off a major first round upset by defeating the Magic 108-93 in game seven of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. It was Detroit’s third consecutive win after falling behind 3-1 earlier in the series.

2006

Kobe Bryant drops 50 points but misses a potential game and series clincher at the end of the fourth quarter, allowing the heavily favored Suns to rally for a 126-118 victory in overtime in game six of the Western Conference Quarterfinals. It forces a game seven back in Phoenix, where the #2 seed Suns prevail to avoid the upset and advance.

2008

The EuroLeague championship game is a battle of powerhouse clubs, with Trajan Langdon leading CSKA Moscow to a 91-77 victory over Will Bynum and Maccabi Tel Aviv.

2009

LeBron James of the Cavaliers is named NBA league MVP for the first time. He receives the award in a ceremony that takes place in the gym at his alma mater St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. Kobe Bryant finishes second in voting, followed by Dwyane Wade in third.

2015

Stephen Curry is named NBA league MVP for the ’14-’15 season in a tight voting result over second place James Harden.

---