2020

LeBron James dominates with 38 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists, as the Lakers defeat the Nuggets 117-107 in game five of the Western Conference Finals to clinch the series. It sets up the first Lakers NBA Finals trip in 10 years, and James’ ninth appearance in a 10-year stretch. The loss drops Denver to 0-4 in franchise history in NBA Conference Finals, with the last three losses (1985, 2009, 2020) coming at the hands of the Lakers.

1947

Lucius Allen is born in Kansas City, Missouri. He led Wyandotte High School to back-to-back Kansas state titles in 1964 and 1965.

1949

John Roche is born in New York, New York. He was inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003.

1988

In the Olympics quarterfinals in Seoul, the United States men’s team defeats Puerto Rico 94-57. Danny Manning leads the U.S. with 18 points and seven rebounds. In the other match-ups, Vlade Divac scores 17 points to lead Yugoslavia to a 95-73 victory over Canada, Andrew Gaze drops 28 points for Australia as they defeat Spain 77-74, and the Soviet Union eliminates Brazil 110-105 despite a 46-point performance from Oscar Schmidt.

1993

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Having suffered from a stutter since childhood, Kidd-Gilchrist has become an advocate for health care coverage for childhood stutterers, including an insurance financial support bill passed in Pennsylvania in 2024.

1997

Marv Albert pleads guilty in his sexual assault case and is subsequently fired on the same day by NBC. He would be re-hired by the network less than two years later.

2023

Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty is named MVP of the 2023 WNBA season. Stewart, who averaged a career high 23.0 points per game during the season, wins her second MVP award, having previously earned the honor in 2018 while playing for the Seattle Storm.