1990

January

With 0.1 seconds remaining on the clock and the ball getting inbounded by the Knicks, Trent Tucker is allowed to catch, turn, and shoot a buzzer beater three-pointer to give New York a victory over the Bulls. In the ensuing offseason, the NBA institutes a rule that players can only catch-and-shoot the ball with 0.3 seconds or more remaining on the clock.

The starters for the upcoming NBA All-Star Game in Miami are announced and surprisingly includes Lakers forward A.C. Green, who just edges out Karl Malone in fan voting at forward for the Western Conference. It’s the first and only All-Star appearance of Green’s career, while an upset Malone feigns injury to skip the competition.

February

Magic Johnson is named MVP of the All-Star Game in Miami but Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley lead the Eastern Conference to victory. Larry Bird makes his 10th and final All-Star appearance (he would be voted in by fans two more times but not appear due to injury), while rookie David Robinson makes his debut.

March

Christian Laettner beats the buzzer with a floating jumper to give Duke a 79-78 overtime victory over Connecticut in the NCAA Tournament East Regional Finals in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It’s the second game in a row for UConn that’s won on a final shot, as they had defeated Clemson in the prior round on a buzzer beater of their own from Tate George.

Following the in-season death of his teammate Hank Gathers from a rare heart condition, Bo Kimble leads Loyola Marymount to a surprise Elite Eight appearance as a #11 seed.

Auburn shocks Louisiana Tech in the National Semifinals of the NCAA women’s tournament in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Lady Techsters had entered the tournament unbeaten. Auburn moves on to lose in the National Final to Stanford, whose Jennifer Azzi is named Most Outstanding Player.

April

UNLV defeats Duke 103-73 in the National Final of the NCAA Tournament in Denver, winning the first title in program history and setting the all-time records for most points in a championship game and for biggest margin of victory. Anderson Hunt is named Most Outstanding Player.

Jim Valvano is fired as the head coach at N.C. State, after numerous recruiting and player conduct scandals.

May

For the third time in his career, Magic Johnson is named league MVP in an extremely tight and controversial vote over Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan.

For the first time since 1981, the Lakers fail to reach at least the Conference Finals, as they are upset by the Suns in the Conference Semifinals in five games.

June

Another contentious Pistons-Bulls Eastern Conference Finals ends with a blowout Detroit win in game seven to advance to their third consecutive NBA Finals. The deciding game is a nightmare for Scottie Pippen, who struggles with a migraine and finishes with two points on 1-of-10 shooting.

NBA Finals

• The Pistons win their second straight title, defeating the Trail Blazers in five games
• Isiah Thomas is named Finals MVP
• The clinching game five comes down to the wire, with Vinnie Johnson hitting the game winning shot with 0.7 seconds left in a 92-90 Pistons win

NBA Draft

• Derrick Coleman (Syracuse) is selected first overall by the Nets and goes on to win Rookie of the Year
• Gary Payton (Oregon State) is selected second overall by the SuperSonics
• Two notable second round selections are the Bulls drafting Toni Kukoc and the Suns drafting Cedric Ceballos (Cal State Fullerton)

July

Led by Teresa Edwards and Katrina McClain, the United States defeats Yugoslavia in the gold medal game of the FIBA World Championship for Women in Malaysia. The Soviets struggled throughout the tournament and finished in fifth place.

In the inaugural Goodwill Games men’s basketball tournament, Yugoslavia defeats the United States in the gold medal game in Seattle.

August

Sporting a star roster centered around Vlade Divac, Toni Kukoc, and Drazen Petrovic, Yugoslavia wins its third FIBA World Championship, defeating the Soviet Union in the gold medal game. A young American team, led by Alonzo Mourning and Kenny Anderson, defeats Puerto Rico in an overtime thriller to earn a bronze medal. It marks the fourth straight major international tournament in which the U.S. falls short of gold, following the 1987 Pan American Games, the 1988 Olympics, and the 1990 Goodwill Games.

October

Bucks legend Sidney Moncrief comes back from retirement by signing as a free agent with the Hawks.

November

For the first time ever, an NBA regular season game takes place outside of the U.S. or Canada, with the Suns and Jazz splitting a pair of games in Tokyo to start the ’90-’91 season.

December

Scott Skiles has 30 assists in a Magic win over the Nuggets, setting the still-standing single game NBA record.

1991

January

Kevin Bradshaw sets the single game NCAA Division I scoring record with 71 points for U.S. International in a 186-140 loss to Loyola Marymount.

February

In one of the Slam Dunk Contest’s signature moments, Dee Brown clinches the competition in Charlotte with a no-look dunk while wearing his signature Reebok Pumps.

It’s a wild finish at the NBA All-Star Game in Charlotte, with the East holding on for the victory when a buzzer beating game winner from the West’s Kevin Johnson is nullified by a basket interference call. Charles Barkley is named MVP.

The Celtics defeat the Lakers in a regular season game, which serves as the final match-up between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.

March

Richmond becomes the first #15 seed ever to win an NCAA Tournament game, with a 73-69 upset of #2 seed Syracuse.

In a National Final overtime thriller in New Orleans, Tennessee defeats Virginia to capture the NCAA women’s tournament title. Virginia’s Dawn Staley is named Most Outstanding Player despite the losing effort.

April

Duke pulls off one of the biggest upsets in NCAA Tournament history, upending defending champion UNLV in the National Semifinals in Indianapolis, ending a 45-game winning streak. They subsequently defeat Kansas in the National Final to clinch the first championship of the Coach K era. Christian Laettner is named Most Outstanding Player.

Magic Johnson becomes the all-time NBA assists leader, breaking Oscar Robertson’s record.

Led by Final Four MVP Toni Kukoc, KK Split (then known as POP 84) wins its third straight EuroLeague title, defeating FC Barcelona in the championship game.

May

Pat Riley is named head coach of the Knicks, less than one year after resigning as coach of the Lakers.

Michael Jordan is named NBA league MVP for the second time. Magic Johnson finishes second in voting, followed by David Robinson in third.

The Bulls finally break through and defeat the Pistons, winning the Eastern Conference Finals in a sweep. After the game four loss, most of the Pistons players opt not to stay on the court for the customary handshake line, further stoking Michael Jordan’s animosity towards Isiah Thomas.

June

NBA Finals

• The Bulls defeat the Lakers in five games
• Michael Jordan is named Finals MVP
• This is the first title of the Bulls dynasty, and the ninth and final NBA Finals appearance of the Lakers “Showtime” era

NBA Draft

• Larry Johnson (UNLV) is selected first overall by the Hornets and goes on to win Rookie of the Year
• Dikembe Mutombo (Georgetown) is selected fourth overall by the Nuggets

September

In a live event broadcast on NBC, the first 10 members of the 1992 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team are announced. Notable omissions are Isiah Thomas, reportedly at the behest of Michael Jordan, and Clyde Drexler, who is added to the roster later.

October

An NBA pre-season game takes place overseas for the first time, with the Heat defeating the Bullets in Nassau, Bahamas.

November

The Warriors break up the Run-TMC trio, trading Mitch Richmond to the Kings in exchange for disgruntled draftee Billy Owens.

In a press conference that shocks the nation, Magic Johnson announces his retirement from the NBA, following a diagnosis that he has contracted HIV. He would later come back to appear in the 1992 All-Star Game and1992 Olympics, and make a brief return to the Lakers in 1996.

December

Tim Hardaway sets the still standing single game record by attempting 17 field goals with none made in a Warriors win over the Timberwolves. Hardaway finishes the game with two points (shooting 2-of-2 on free throws).

1992

January

Troy State defeats DeVry University 258-141 in the highest scoring game in NCAA men’s basketball history.

Michael Jordan informs the NBA and Players Association that as part of his new contract with Nike, he is pulling out of the league’s licensing agreement. The NBA is no longer allowed to sell merchandise with Jordan’s name or image, including video games.

February

Craig Hodges wins the NBA All-Star Three-Point Contest in Orlando for the third time, tying him with Larry Bird for the most contest titles. Meanwhile, Cedric Ceballos nails his infamous blind-folded dunk to win the Slam Dunk Contest.

Voted in as a starting guard by fans, Magic Johnson makes a brief comeback to appear in the NBA All-Star Game in Orlando and earns MVP honors.

Rudy Tomjanovich is promoted to head coach of the Rockets, replacing the fired Don Chaney. Tomjanovich would eventually lead the franchise to back-to-back titles in 1994 and 1995.

March

With just 0.8 seconds remaining on the clock, Georgia Tech’s James Forrest catches an inbounds pass and hits a buzzer beating three pointer to give the Yellow Jackets a 79-78 victory over USC in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

#8 seed Missouri State becomes the then lowest seeded team to ever reach a NCAA women’s tournament Final Four, upsetting top seed Iowa, #5 seed UCLA, and #2 seed Mississippi in succession.

The Michigan “Fab Five” freshmen – Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Ray Jackson, and Jimmy King – make a surprise run to the Final Four as a #6 seed, upsetting their conference rivals Ohio State in the Southeast Regional Final in Lexington, Kentucky.

What’s widely considered the greatest game in NCAA Tournament history ends with Christian Laettner hitting “The Shot,” a turnaround jumper at the buzzer that gives Duke a 104-103 overtime win over Kentucky in the East Regional Final in Philadelphia.

April

Stanford defeats Western Kentucky in the NCAA women’s tournament National Final in Los Angeles. Molly Goodenbour is named Most Outstanding Player.

Duke is the first back-to-back NCAA Tournament champions since 1973, defeating the “Fab Five” of Michigan in the National Final in Minneapolis. Bobby Hurley is named Most Outstanding Player.

Jerry Tarkanian leaves a scandal-ridden UNLV to take over as head coach of the Spurs. He’s subsequently fired after just 20 games when much of the roster begins to turn against him.

In maybe the most exciting EuroLeague championship game in history, Sasa Dordevic hits a buzzer beater to lead Partizan to a 71-70 victory over Joventut Badalona.

Dennis Rodman finishes the ’91-’92 season with 18.7 rebounds per game, leading the league for the first of what would eventually be seven consecutive years and setting the highest mark by any player in a post-merger season.

The Clippers make a playoff appearance as the #7 seed in the Western Conference, breaking a 15-year drought which would stand as the NBA record for three decades. They push the #2 seed Jazz to the limit in that first round series, forcing a game seven but ultimately losing.

The Heat make their first ever NBA playoff appearance. They enter as the #8 seed in the Eastern Conference and are swept by the Bulls in the first round.

Michael Jordan earns his second consecutive league MVP award and third overall, finishing well ahead of second place Clyde Drexler in voting.

May

Patrick Ewing leads the way as the Knicks defeat the Pistons in five games in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, effectively ending the “Bad Boys” era.

Closing out their first season in 12 years without Magic Johnson, the Lakers are eliminated in the first round by the Trail Blazers. The clinching game four is postponed and re-located from Los Angeles to Las Vegas due to the riots in response to the Rodney King verdict.

In the highest scoring NBA playoff game of all time, the Trail Blazers defeat the Suns 153-151 in double overtime in game four of the Western Conference Semifinals.

The Cavaliers defeat the Celtics in seven games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, in the final appearances of Larry Bird’s career.

June

NBA Finals

• The all-time great Bulls win their second straight title, defeating the Trail Blazers in six games
• Michael Jordan is named Finals MVP, becoming the first player to earn it in back-to-back years
• Chicago sets the tone in the series early in a blowout game one win, with Michael Jordan infamously shrugging incredulously after hitting his record setting sixth three-pointer of the first half
• Game five is the Trail Blazers’ final home game at the Memorial Coliseum, as they moved into the new Rose Garden Arena for the ’92-’93 season

After months of speculation and controversy, Charles Barkley is traded by the 76ers to the Suns in exchange for Jeff Hornacek, Andrew Lang, and Tim Perry.

NBA Draft

• Shaquille O’Neal (LSU) is selected first overall by the Magic
• Alonzo Mourning (Georgetown) is selected second overall by the Hornets
• Christian Laettner (Duke) is selected third overall by the Timberwolves but fails to live up to the lofty expectations of his NCAA career
• Other notable selections in a strong overall class include Alabama teammates Robert Horry and Latrell Sprewell getting drafted 11th and 24th overall by the Rockets and Warriors, respectively
• David Wesley (Baylor) goes un-drafted and eventually becomes the all-time leading scorer amongst post-merger un-drafted players

July

The U.S. “Dream Team” plays its first competitive basketball at the FIBA AmeriCup (then called the Tournament of the Americas), an Olympic qualifier tournament in Portland. The American team wins every game by 35 or more points, including a 127-80 victory over Venezuela in the Final. In addition to the United States and Venezuela, Brazil and Puerto Rico also qualify for the upcoming Barcelona Olympics.

August

Barcelona Olympics

• The Dream Team solidifies itself as the greatest squad in international competition history, dominating the competition en route to a gold medal in the men’s tournament
• Larry Bird plays the final competitive basketball of his career and teams up with his rival and friend Magic Johnson, who comes out to retirement to participate
• The most notable moments in U.S. group stage games include Charles Barkley mixing it up with Angola’s Herlander Coimbra, and Croatia’s Toni Kukoc getting hounded by his future Bulls teammates Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen
• The U.S. defeats Croatia 117-85 in the men’s gold medal game, while Arvydas Sabonis leads the newly formed nation of Lithuania to a bronze medal
• In the women’s semifinals, the Unified Team (formerly the Soviet Union) stuns the United States and moves on to defeat China in the gold medal game; the U.S. settles for bronze with a win over Cuba

After months of speculation, Larry Bird officially announces his retirement from the NBA during a press conference at the Boston Garden.

October

The Rockets and Mavericks face off in the first ever NBA game in Latin America, a pre-season game in Mexico City that’s attended by over 19,000 fans.

1993

February

In front of their home crowd in Salt Lake City, Karl Malone and John Stockton share All-Star MVP honors after leading the Western Conference to the win. Rookie Shaquille O’Neal makes his first appearance while Isiah Thomas participates for the 12th and final time.

March

Former championship-winning NC State coach Jim Valvano gives an inspiring speech at the ESPY awards show on ESPN, announcing the V Foundation for Cancer Research and imploring viewers “don’t give up, don’t ever give up.” He passes away a few weeks later from cancer at age 47.

For the second straight season, Arizona suffers a shocking loss in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, this time as a #2 seed falling 64-61 to #15 seed Santa Clara. Led by Steve Nash, Santa Clara becomes just the second #15 seed to win an NCAA Tournament game.

April

Sheryl Swoopes scores a women’s Final Four record 47 points to lead Texas Tech to an 84-82 victory over Ohio State in the NCAA women’s tournament National Final in Atlanta.

Michigan’s Chris Webber commits an infamous gaffe, calling a costly, illegal timeout late in the National Final of the NCAA Tournament in New Orleans, leading to a North Carolina victory. Donald Williams is named Most Outstanding Player.

The now iconic NBA Jam is released in arcades in the United States.

May

The Hornets make their NBA playoffs debut and win their first series, defeating the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Alonzo Mourning hits the series-clinching jumper in the final seconds of game four.

The #1 seed Suns avoid a major first round upset, falling behind 2-0 to the Lakers before rallying to win three in a row to advance.

Despite having the longest odds of the 11 eligible teams with just a 1.52% chance, the Magic win the draft lottery for the second consecutive year.

Shaquille O’Neal is named Rookie of the Year with Alonzo Mourning finishing second in voting.

Charles Barkley is named NBA league MVP for the ’92-’93 season. Hakeem Olajuwon finishes second in voting while reigning two-time MVP Michael Jordan comes in third.

A Michael Jordan game four buzzer beater ends a Bulls sweep of the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. It marked the fourth and final series in which Jordan and the Bulls eliminated the Cavaliers.

June

A crucial game five of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Bulls and Knicks comes down to the final seconds, with New York’s Charles Smith getting four consecutive shots blocked and Chicago emerging victorious en route to a series win in six games.

The Suns advance to the NBA Finals with a seven game victory over the SuperSonics in the Western Conference Finals. Charles Barkley dominates the winner-take-all game seven, with 44 points and 24 rebounds.

While traveling with the Croatian national team for a EuroBasket qualifying tournament, Drazen Petrovic passes away at age 28 from injuries suffered in a car accident.

NBA Finals

• The Bulls win their third straight championship, defeating the Suns in six games
• Michael Jordan is named Finals MVP for the third consecutive year
• Game three becomes just the second game in NBA Finals history to go to triple overtime, with Charles Barkley leading the way in a 129-121 Suns win
• The series is closed out with a clutch winner not from Michael Jordan but instead from unlikely hero John Paxson, who clinches a thrilling game six with a three-pointer
• Charles Barkley averages 28.6 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game in the only NBA Finals appearance of his career

NBA Draft

• Chris Webber (Michigan) is selected first overall by the Magic, who then immediately trade him to the Warriors in exchange for the third overall pick, Penny Hardaway (Memphis) and three future first round picks
• Shawn Bradley (BYU) is selected second overall by the 76ers
• Other notable selections include the Kings drafting Bobby Hurley (Duke) with the seventh overall pick, the Pistons drafting Allan Houston (Tennessee) with the 11th overall pick, and the Rockets drafting Sam Cassell (Florida State) with the 24th overall pick

July

During an offseason practice session, Celtics All-Star Reggie Lewis suffers a sudden cardiac arrest and is pronounced dead on the scene at age 27.

October

Dennis Rodman is traded from the Pistons to the Spurs, along with Isaiah Morris, a first round pick, and a second round pick, in exchange for Sean Elliott, David Wood, and a first round pick.

Michael Jordan holds a press conference to officially announce his retirement from the NBA. He briefly pursues a pro baseball career before returning to the Bulls in March of 1995.

A game between NBA teams takes place in Europe for the first time ever, with the Hawks and Magic facing off in a pre-season match-up at Wembley Arena in London.

November

Micheal Williams of the Timberwolves sets the NBA record by making 97 consecutive free throws without a miss.

Patrick Ewing surpasses Walt Frazier to become the Knicks’ all-time scoring leader with his 14,618th career point.

December

The Rockets start the ’93-’94 season with 15 consecutive wins, tying the NBA record for a season opening winning streak set by the ’48-’49 Washington Capitols.

1994

February

During All-Star Weekend in Minneapolis, the Rookies Game event is introduced, replacing the Legends Classic. Notable inaugural participants include Chris Webber and Penny Hardaway, who leads all scorers in the exhibition.

Scottie Pippen makes his mark with Michael Jordan retired, earning All-Star MVP with a 29-point performance in an Eastern Conference win in Minneapolis. 11 players make their All-Star debut, including Gary Payton.

Trailing 68-37 with 15:30 remaining in the game, Kentucky mounts a furious rally to stun LSU, 99-95, in arguably the most impressive comeback in NCAA history and what fans dubbed the “Mardi Gras Miracle.”

Following a Massachusetts win over Temple, John Calipari has his postgame press conference interrupted by opposing coach John Chaney, who threatens to murder Calipari over alleged meddling with the officials.

The Hawks trade their franchise’s all-time leading scorer Dominique Wilkins to the Clippers, along with a first round pick, in exchange for Danny Manning.

March

Michael Jordan participates in spring training with the White Sox in Sarasota, Florida. He would never play a regular season game with the team, instead spending the entire 1994 season with the minor league (AA) Birmingham Barons.

#9 seed Boston College stuns top overall seed North Carolina in an NCAA Tournament East Regional second round game. The Eagles subsequently upset #5 seed Indiana in the Regional Semifinals in Miami before losing in the Regional Final to Florida.

The NCAA women’s tournament expands from 48 teams to 64 and eliminates first round byes.

Magic Johnson replaces Randy Pfund as head coach of the Lakers, who finish the season 5-11. He’s subsequently replaced by Del Harris in the offseason.

April

Charlotte Smith hits an improbable buzzer beating three-pointer to lift North Carolina to a 60-59 victory over Louisiana Tech in the NCAA women’s tournament National Final in Richmond, Virginia. Smith is named Most Outstanding Player.

Arkansas defeats Duke in the National Final of the NCAA Tournament in Charlotte. Corliss Williamson is named Most Outstanding Player.

Wes Unseld resigns as Bullets head coach, after seven unsuccessful seasons.

David Robinson becomes just the fourth player to top 70 points in an NBA game, finishing with 71 in a Spurs win over the Clippers. It also breaks George Gervin’s single game franchise record.

For the first time in NBA history, a #8 seed wins a playoff series, as the Nuggets stun the SuperSonics in five games. Game five goes to overtime, with a Dikembe Mutombo block sealing it for Denver. The Nuggets almost make history again in the Western Conference Semifinals against the Jazz, falling behind 3-0 only to win three straight and force a game seven, where they lose.

The NBA Board of Governors officially grant an NBA expansion franchise to the cities of Toronto and Vancouver, set to begin play in ’95-’96.

May

The Knicks eliminate the defending champion Bulls in an eventful Eastern Conference Semifinals that includes:

• An an all-out brawl in game three that spills into the stands right in front of commissioner David Stern
• Toni Kukoc hitting a buzzer beater to win game three after Scottie Pippen refuses to enter the game because Phil Jackson didn’t draw up the final shot for him
• The final NBA game ever at the legendary Chicago Stadium, a game six Bulls win
• Pippen’s infamous posterizing dunk on Patrick Ewing in game six

The Rockets become the first team ever to win a best-of-seven NBA playoff series after losing the first two games at home. They do so in seven games against the Suns in the Western Conference Semifinals.

June

One of the signature series of the Pacers-Knicks rivalry is won by the Knicks in seven games. The ultimate highlight comes in an eventful game five in New York, when Reggie Miller scores 25 points in the fourth quarter while taunting sideline spectator Spike Lee, including with a choke sign, as the Pacers put the game away.

The United States women’s team, featuring Dawn Staley, Teresa Edwards, Sheryl Swoopes, and Lisa Leslie, is stunned by Brazil in the semifinals of the FIBA World Championship for Women in Sydney, Australia. It breaks a streak of 21 consecutive wins at the FIBA Worlds for the U.S. team. Brazil goes on to defeat China for the gold medal while the United States settles for a bronze.

NBA Finals

• The Rockets defeat the Knicks in seven games, coming back from a 3-2 series deficit to clinch their first title in franchise history and earn the team nickname “Clutch City”
• Hakeem Olajuwon is named series MVP
• The game five broadcast is infamously interrupted by the O.J. Simpson freeway chase and subsequent arrest
• Hakeem Olajuwon clinches game six by blocking a potential buzzer beater from John Starks
• Patrick Ewing makes the only NBA Finals appearance of his storied career
• Game one of the series is the first game broadcast live in China, as part of an agreement behind David Stern and China’s state run CCTV

NBA Draft

• Glenn Robinson (Purdue) is selected first overall by the Bucks
• Jason Kidd (California) is selected second overall by the Mavericks
• Grant Hill (Duke) is selected third overall by the Pistons

August

Dream Team II dominates the competition at the FIBA World Championships in Toronto, winning all eight of their games by an average margin of 37.7 points en route to a gold medal. Russia wins silver and the newly formed Croatia defeats Greece in the bronze medal game. Shaquille O’Neal is named tournament MVP.

Viacom sells the New York Knicks and Madison Square Garden to Charles Dolan’s Cablevision and the ITT Corporation, setting the stage for Dolan’s son, James, to eventually take over as team president in 1999.

September

Horace Grant signs as a free agent with the Magic, leaving behind a Bulls team with whom he won three championships but parted under acrimonious terms.

October

Hoop Dreams, a critically-acclaimed documentary film following the lives of two high school basketball players with NBA aspirations, is released in theaters.

November

Reigning Rookie of the Year winner Chris Webber is traded from the Warriors to the Bullets in exchange for Tom Gugliotta and three first round picks. The trade was by request of Webber, who was at odds with coach Don Nelson.

After 24 years in nearby Richfield, Ohio, the Cavaliers move into the city of Cleveland, playing their first game in the newly opened Gund Arena.

December

In what would ultimately be the final game of his storied career, Moses Malone punctuates a Spurs win over the Hornets by hitting the first three-pointer of his career, a meaningless 80-foot bomb at the buzzer that increased the Spurs lead from 8 to 11.

1995

January

Lenny Wilkens surpasses Red Auerbach as the all-time winningest coach in NBA history, with 939. Wilkens would finish his career in 2005 with 1,332 wins.

February

John Stockton surpasses Magic Johnson as the NBA’s all-time assist leader, with his 9,992nd assist during a Jazz win over the Nuggets. Stockton would eventually retire with 15,806 assists.

Mitch Richmond is named MVP as the Western Conference wins the All-Star Game in Phoenix. Grant Hill becomes the first rookie to lead all players in fan voting.

Clyde Drexler is traded from the Trail Blazers to the Rockets along with Tracy Murray in exchange for Otis Thorpe and a first round pick. Drexler goes on to help lead the Rockets to a championship, the first of his career.

March

Michael Jordan announces the end of his baseball career and his comeback to the NBA with a fax reading “I’m back.” His first game back, a Bulls loss to the Pacers, draws a record 35 million viewers to the NBC broadcast.

It takes an incredible Tyus Edney coast-to-coast buzzer beating drive and lay-up for #1 seed UCLA to survive an NCAA Tournament second round upset bid from #8 Missouri with a 75-74 victory.

April

Geno Aueriemma’s Connecticut wins its first women’s NCAA tournament title, defeating Pat Summitt’s Tennessee in the National Final. With a 35-0 record, the Huskies also become just the second team to finish a season undefeated. Rebecca Lobo is named Most Outstanding Player.

UCLA wins its record 11th NCAA championship, and its first and only with a coach other than John Wooden (Jim Harrick), defeating Arkansas in the National Final. Ed O’Bannon is named Most Outstanding Player.

In his final season before joining the NBA, Arvydas Sabonis wins his first and only EuroLeague title, earning Final Four MVP for leading Real Madrid to the championship.

May

Over the course of just 8.9 seconds, Reggie Miller scores eight unanswered points to give the Pacers an improbable 107-105 win over the Knicks in game one of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Indiana goes on to win the series in seven games.

The Magic reach the Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history by defeating the Bulls in six games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, spoiling Michael Jordan’s return.

Mario Elie finishes off a 3-1 series comeback in game seven of the Rockets’ Conference Semifinals victory over the Suns with the “Kiss of Death” shot, a three-pointer in the waning moments. Charles Barkley would later call this series the most painful loss of his career.

A Rik Smits buzzer beater lifts the Pacers to a 94-93 win over the Magic in game four of the Eastern Conference Finals, an all-time classic that featured four lead changes in the final 13 seconds. Indiana ties the series 2-2 but Orlando ultimately prevailed in seven games.

June

Hakeem Olajuwon upstages reigning MVP David Robinson, leading the Rockets to a Western Conference Finals upset over the Spurs in six games.

NBA Finals

• The Rockets defeat the Magic in a sweep, becoming the first #6 seed to win an NBA title and the first team to win four consecutive playoff series as the lower seed
• Hakeem Olajuwon is Finals MVP
• Late in game one, Orlando’s Nick Anderson misses four straight free throws, any one of which would have likely put the game away; it leaves the door open for Houston’s Kenny Smith to hit a game-tying three-pointer to send the game to overtime, where Hakeem Olajuwon wins it with a last second tip-in
• Robert Horry sets the NBA Finals single game record with seven steals in game two

NBA Draft

• Kevin Garnett becomes the first post-merger player to be drafted in the NBA directly out of high school when he’s selected fifth overall by the Timberwolves
• Joe Smith (Maryland) is selected first overall by the Warriors
• Bryant Reeves (Oklahoma State) is selected sixth overall by the expansion Vancouver Grizzlies and Damon Stoudamire (Arizona) is selected seventh overall by the expansion Raptors
• Other notable selections include North Carolina teammates Jerry Stackhouse and Rasheed Wallace getting drafted third and fourth overall by the 76ers and Bullets, respectively

September

A lawsuit against the NBA from player rep Patrick Ewing is thrown out, after the players vote against a resolution to de-certify. A new collective bargaining agreement is soon after finalized, ending a 75-day lockout. The agreement is mostly a win for owners but does include a rise in the salary cap.

A farewell ceremony is held at the Boston Garden, honoring the Celtics’ longtime home, with Larry Bird and Red Auerbach amongst the luminaries in attendance. The Celtics moved into the new FleetCenter starting with the ’95-’96 season, while the Boston Garden remained vacant for three years before getting demolished.

October

Dennis Rodman is traded from the Spurs to the Bulls in exchange for Will Perdue.

November

Alonzo Mourning is traded from the Hornets to the Heat, along with Pete Myers and LeRon Ellis, in exchange for Matt Geiger, Khalid Reeves, Glen Rice, and a first round pick.

The expansion Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies both win in their NBA debuts.

December

The NBA and the Referees Association agree to terms on a new labor agreement, ending a lockout that had lasted over two months.

1996

February

John Stockton becomes the NBA’s all-time steals leader, surpassing Maurice Cheeks with his 2,311th steal.

Michael Jordan earns his second NBA All-Star MVP trophy for leading the Eastern Conference to a victory in San Antonio. Jason Kidd makes his debut.

Tim Hardaway is traded from the Warriors to the Heat, along with Chris Gatling, in exchange for Bimbo Coles and Kevin Willis.

Washington Bullets owner Abe Pollin announces that the franchise will be changing its name starting with the ’96-’97 season to Wizards, which was chosen in fan voting.

March

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf is suspended by the NBA for his refusal to follow league protocols of standing “in a dignified posture” during the national anthem, doing so in a protest against American tyranny and oppression. Two days later, he works out a compromise with commissioner David Stern wherein Abdul-Rauf stands during the anthem but can lower his head in prayer.

In what most expected to be legendary coach Pete Carril’s final game, #13 seed Princeton instead extends his career with a shocking first round NCAA Tournament upset of the defending champions, #4 seed UCLA.

#5 seed Mississippi State stuns Ray Allen and top seed Connecticut in the NCAA Tournament Southeast Regional Semifinals in Lexington, Kentucky. The Bulldogs subsequently defeat Cincinnati in the Regional Final to make a surprising Final Four appearance, the first in school history.

Tennessee defeats Georgia in the NCAA women’s tournament National Final in Charlotte. Pat Summit’s team becomes the first program to win four women’s titles. Michelle Marciniak is named Most Outstanding Player.

April

The expansion Vancouver Grizzlies lose 23 straight games, setting the still-standing NBA in-season losing streak record.

Kentucky defeats Syracuse in the NCAA Tournament National Final, finishing off one of the most dominant seasons in men’s college basketball history. The ’95-’96 Wildcats were nicknamed “The Untouchables” and featured nine future NBA players, including the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player Tony Delk.

Robert Parish plays in his 1,561st career game, setting the still-standing all-time NBA record.

Dominique Wilkins is named EuroLeague Final Four MVP after leading the Greek squad Panathinaikos to a victory in the championship game over FC Barcelona.

Hakeem Olajuwon sets the all-time career blocks record, which had been held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for nearly two decades.

The Bulls become the first team in NBA history to reach 70 wins in a season, ending the ’95-’96 regular season with a 72-10 record.

The NBA board of governors officially approve the formation of the WNBA, set to begin play in 1997.

May

Following the Lakers getting eliminated by the Rockets in a Conference Quarterfinals series, Magic Johnson ends his brief comeback and retires for good.

Behind dominant performances from Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton, the Seattle SuperSonics sweep the Rockets in the Western Conference Semifinals, eliminating the two-time defending champions.

June

NBA Finals

• The Chicago Bulls cap off the greatest season in NBA history by winning their fourth title in franchise history, defeating the SuperSonics in six games
• Michael Jordan is named Finals MVP, becoming the first player ever to earn that award at least four times
• Shawn Kemp is virtually unstoppable for the Sonics in the series, averaging 23.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game in what would turn out to be the only Finals appearance of his career

NBA Draft

• Kobe Bryant, who opted to skip college, is selected 13th overall by the Hornets, who trade his draft rights to the Lakers in exchange for Vlade Divac
• Allen Iverson (Georgetown) is selected first overall by the 76ers
• Ray Allen (Connecticut) is selected fifth overall by the Bucks
• Steve Nash (Santa Clara) is selected 15th overall by the Suns
• Other notable selections in what’s considered the greatest draft class of the lottery era include the Raptors drafting Marcus Camby (Massachusetts) with the second overall pick, the Celtics drafting Antoine Walker (Kentucky) with the sixth overall pick, the Kings drafting Peja Stojakovic with the 14th overall pick, and the Trail Blazers drafting Jermaine O’Neal with the 17th overall pick
• This class also included the greatest un-drafted player of all time in Ben Wallace

July

The NBA voids Juwan Howard’s seven-year, $100 million free agency contract with the Heat on the grounds that it violates the salary cap. A week later, Howard instead re-signs with the Bullets for the first official $100 million-plus contract in league history.

Upset by what he perceived as a lowball offer from the Magic, Shaquille O’Neal signs a seven year, $120 million dollar free agency contract with the Lakers.

August

ATLANTA OLYMPICS

• The United States women’s team defeats Brazil in the gold medal game, earning their first of eight consecutive gold medals. Lisa Leslie dominates the tournament for the U.S., avenging a disappointing 1992 performance. Australia earns its first ever Olympics medal with a bronze medal game victory over Ukraine
• Mixing returning Dream Team members Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton, David Robinson, and Scottie Pippen with newcomers Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Gary Payton, the U.S. men’s team dominates in Atlanta, finishing the tournament with a 95-69 victory over Yugoslavia in the gold medal game. Lithuania defeats Australia to earn their second straight bronze medal, and Arvydas Sabonis’ third career medal (having previously earned a gold with the Soviet Union in 1988)
• Oscar Schmidt makes his final appearances with the Brazil national team at age 38. He scores 26 points in his last Olympics game, a quarterfinal round loss to the United States
• The women’s tournament expands to 12 teams and features first timers Russia and Ukraine (which both formerly played under the Soviet Union and Unified Team banners)
• Games are played at the Forbes Arena and Georgia Dome, as the Hawks’ home arena, The Omni, is deemed below Olympic standards

Charles Barkley is traded by the Suns to the Rockets in exchange for Chucky Brown, Mark Bryant, Sam Cassell, and Robert Horry.

October

Shawn Kemp does not show up for the beginning of SuperSonics training camp, kicking off a 22-day holdout spurred by his distaste with the team’s free agency decisions. He eventually did play the entire ’96-’97 season with Seattle before getting traded to the Cavaliers.

In honor of the league’s 50th anniversary, the NBA 50 Greatest Players list is announced by David Stern. The list includes 11 active players, most notably Shaquille O’Neal, who had only been in the league for four seasons.

November

Joe Dumars of the Pistons is named as the first recipient of the NBA Sportsmanship Award. Upon his retirement in 1999, the NBA re-christened the award as the Joe Dumars Trophy.

Space Jam, starring Michael Jordan alongside the Looney Tunes gang, is released in theaters and becomes a huge hit.

December

At 18 years and 53 days, Jermaine O’Neal becomes the youngest player in NBA history when he makes his career debut for the Trail Blazers.

Former general manager Gregg Popovich takes over as head coach of the Spurs, installing himself in the position after firing Bob Hill mid-season.

Disgruntled star Jason Kidd is traded from the Mavericks to the Suns, in exchange for Sam Cassell, Michael Finley, and A.C. Green.

1997

February

At age 18, Kobe Bryant becomes the youngest player ever to win the Slam Dunk Contest, doing so in a competition so underwhelming that the NBA opted to discontinue the event a year later, replacing it with the 2Ball Contest.

In an NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland that’s wracked with injury replacements (five players opt out), Glen Rice is named MVP as the Eastern Conference wins. Kevin Garnett makes his debut, as an injury replacement for Shaquille O’Neal. Halftime includes a tribute to the 50 Greatest Players, with 47 of them in attendance.

March

#15 seed Coppin State doesn’t just upset #2 seed South Carolina but dominates them, becoming just the third #15 seed to win a first round game. The tournament also features another Cinderella in #14 seed Chattanooga, who stun #3 seed Georgia in the first round and #6 seed Illinois in the second round. They are finally defeated in the Southeast Regional Finals in Birmingham by #10 seed Providence, who had previously upset Duke and takes Arizona to overtime in the Regional Final before finally seeing their tournament run come to an end.

Tennessee wins it second consecutive NCAA women’s tournament title, and fifth overall, with a victory over Old Dominion in the National Final in Cincinnati. Chamique Holdsclaw is named Most Outstanding Player.

Arizona becomes the first team ever to defeat three #1 seeds in the same NCAA Tournament, upending Kansas in the Southeast Regional Semifinals, North Carolina in the National Semifinals in Indianapolis, and Kentucky in the National Final en route to the title. Miles Simon is named Most Outstanding Player.

April

In the inaugural WNBA Draft, Tina Thompson of USC is selected first overall by the Houston Comets.

May

Rick Pitino leaves Kentucky to become the head coach of the Boston Celtics.

Larry Bird is hired as head coach of the Pacers, taking over for the departed Larry Brown. Bird lasts three successful but stressful seasons before stepping down.

In game five of a contentious Conference Semifinals series, Miami’s P.J. Brown shoves New York’s Charlie Ward into the stands, setting off a bench-clearing altercation. For their role in leaving the bench, the Knicks’ Patrick Ewing, John Starks, Larry Johnson, and Allan Houston all receive automatic one game suspensions, which swings the series in favor of the Heat, who erase a 3-1 series deficit to advance in seven games and make their Conference Finals debut.

Karl Malone is named league MVP in a controversial decision, just beating out Michael Jordan in one of the closest voting results in the trophy’s history. At age 33, Malone becomes the oldest MVP awardee ever.

The Jazz reach the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history by defeating the Rockets in a Conference Finals that features not one but two buzzer beaters. The first comes from Houston’s Eddie Johnson in game four to tie the series at 2-2 and the second is courtesy of John Stockton, to close out the series in a game six thriller.

June

NBA Finals

• The Bulls take home their second consecutive title and fifth of the Michael Jordan dynasty era, defeating a Jazz team making its Finals debut
• Michael Jordan is named Finals MVP for a record fifth time
• Game five has come to be known as “The Flu Game,” with Michael Jordan playing through intense “flu-like symptoms” (which are now believed to be the result of food poisoning) to score 38 points in a 90-88 Bulls win
• Steve Kerr is the unlikely hero in the clinching game six, hitting a go-ahead jumper in the waning moments to put the Bulls ahead for good

NBA Draft

• Tim Duncan (Wake Forest) is selected first overall by the Spurs, who were a surprise lottery winner
• Chauncey Billups (Colorado) is selected third overall by the Celtics
• Tracy McGrady is selected ninth overall by the Raptors

August

The Houston Comets are champions of the inaugural WNBA season, defeating the New York Liberty in the WNBA Finals. Cynthia Cooper is named league MVP and Finals MVP.

September

Marv Albert pleads guilty in his sexual assault case and is subsequently fired on the same day by NBC. He serves a 12-month suspended sentence and would be re-hired by the network soon after.

October

Coaching legend Dean Smith makes an abrupt and surprise retirement announcement. Smith had spent 36 years as head coach at North Carolina, winning two national titles and compiling a record 879 victories. He is replaced by his longtime assistant, Bill Guthridge.

Charles Barkley is arrested in Orlando for aggravated battery after throwing a bar patron through a plate glass window.

Violet Palmer becomes the first woman to officiate an NBA regular season game, as part of the crew for an opening night contest between the Grizzlies and Mavericks.

November

A.C. Green of the Mavericks becomes the NBA “Iron Man,” playing in his 907th consecutive game to surpass the record set by Randy Smith in 1983.

December

After 24 years playing home games at the Capital Centre in nearby Landover, Maryland, the Wizards finally find a home in the city of Washington, D.C., at the newly opened MCI Center.

Latrell Sprewell assaults Warriors coach P.J. Carlesimo during a team practice. He is initially suspended for 10 days, which was subsequently extended to a one year ban by commissioner David Stern.

An NBA regular season game takes place in Mexico for the first time ever, with the Rockets defeating the Mavericks at the Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City.

1998

January

The NBA comes to a broadcasting agreement with ESPN and ABC, set to start in 2002, ending a lengthy relationship with NBC.

February

In one of numerous head-scratching personnel decisions by coach and team president Rick Pitino, the Celtics trade promising rookie Chauncey Billups, along with former Slam Dunk champion Dee Brown to the Raptors in exchange for a package built around Kenny Anderson.

March

One of the greatest moments in NCAA Tournament history happens in a first round upset as Bryce Drew hits an improbable game winning buzzer beater to give #13 seed Valparaiso a 70-69 victory over #4 seed Mississippi State.

For the first time ever in the men’s or women’s NCAA tournament, a #16 seed upsets a #1 seed in the first round, as Harvard stuns Stanford in a women’s tournament game.

Defending champions Arizona enter the NCAA Tournament as the favorites but are stunned in the West Regional Final in Anaheim by Utah, in a 76-51 blowout.

62,046 fans are on hand for a Hawks-Bulls game played at the Georgia Dome, setting the NBA attendance record.

Kentucky wins its second NCAA title in a three-year span, defeating Utah in the National Final in San Antonio. Jeff Sheppard is named Most Outstanding Player.

Tennessee’s dynastic run under Pat Summit culminates with an undefeated season (39-0) and third straight NCAA women’s tournament title, by defeating Louisiana Tech in the National Final in Kansas City. Chamique Holdsclaw is named Most Outstanding Player for the second consecutive year.

April

In arguably the peak of the Knicks-Heat rivalry, game four of their Conference Quarterfinals series turns belligerent, with Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning trading punches, leading to the memorable image of Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy clinging to Mourning’s leg in a fruitless attempt to stop him. The ensuing suspensions helped the Knicks finish out the series in an upset (#7 seed over #2 seed).

With owner Donald Sterling threatening a re-location to Anaheim, a settlement is reached with the Lakers, the NBA, and the city of Los Angeles for the Clippers to move into the Staples Center when it opens in 1999, sharing a home with their in-town rivals.

Spike Lee’s He Got Game is released in theaters. It features NBA star Ray Allen as a high school basketball phenom with Denzel Washington playing his father.

May

Michael Jordan is named NBA league MVP for the fifth and final time in his career. Tim Duncan is a near unanimous vote for Rookie of the Year and Dikembe Mutombo becomes the first player to earn NBA Defensive Player of the Year three times.

Chris Webber is traded from the Wizards to the Kings in exchange for Mitch Richmond and Otis Thorpe.

For just the second time in their six championship seasons, Michael Jordan and the Bulls are pushed to seven games in a playoff series, narrowly defeating the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Reggie Miller provides the series’ biggest highlight, a buzzer beater to give Indiana a game four win.

June

Lisa Leslie leads the way as the United States defeats Russia in the gold medal game of the FIBA World Championship for Women in Berlin.

NBA Finals

• The Bulls defeat the Jazz in six games to clinch the sixth and final championship of the Michael Jordan era
• Michael Jordan is named Finals MVP for a record sixth time
• The Jazz make the wrong kind of history in a 96-54 game three loss, setting the Finals single game record for largest point differential and the overall postseason record for lowest point total in a single game in the shot clock era
• The series is appropriately closed out by Michael Jordan hitting “The Final Shot,” a jumper in the waning moments of game six that clinched the game and series for the Bulls
• This is the second and final NBA Finals appearance for John Stockton, who eventually retires as the all-time leader in postseason assists amongst players without a title

NBA Draft

• Michael Olowokandi (Pacific) is selected first overall by the Clippers and goes down as one of the biggest draft busts of all time
• Dirk Nowitzki is selected ninth overall by the Mavericks
• Paul Pierce (Kansas) is selected 10th overall by the Celtics
• Mike Bibby (Arizona) is selected second overall by the Vancouver Grizzlies
• Vince Carter (North Carolina) is selected fifth overall by the Raptors and goes on to win Rookie of the Year
• Brad Miller goes un-drafted out of Purdue and spends the lockout playing in Italy before signing with the Hornets and starting his NBA career

The NBA officially ceases operations as the owners institute a lockout while negotiations ensue over a new collective bargaining agreement. The lockout would eventually last for just over six months.

August

Yugoslavia becomes the first nation to win four FIBA World Championship titles, earning gold in Greece behind tournament MVP Dejan Bodiroga. Russia are the silver medalists while the U.S. win a surprise bronze medal with a roster lacking NBA talent due to the ongoing lockout.

September

Cynthia Cooper leads the Houston Comets to their second consecutive WNBA title, defeating the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA Finals. For the second straight year, Cooper is named Finals MVP in addition to winning league MVP.

1999

January

After 204 days, the NBA lockout is lifted with the players agreeing to reduce their percentage of league as salaries from 57% to 55%. As a result of the lengthy work stoppage, the ’98-’99 season is shortened to 50 games and the 1999 All-Star Game is cancelled.

Michael Jordan officially announces his second retirement from the NBA. Meanwhile, after 11 seasons with the team and six championships, Scottie Pippen is traded from the Bulls to the Rockets in exchange for Roy Rogers and a second round pick.

Latrell Sprewell is traded from the Warriors to the Knicks in exchange for Terry Cummings, Chris Mills, and John Starks. At the time of the trade, Sprewell had not played in an NBA game for nearly 14 months, due to his indefinite suspension from the league.

February

The ’98-’99 NBA season finally begins, with 12 games on opening night, most of which are sloppy and disjointed, as players are out of shape due to the lengthy lockout.

March

Harold “The Show” Arceneaux leads the way with 36 points as #14 seed Weber State shocks #3 seed North Carolina 76-74 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels were coming off back-to-back Final Four appearances and had never lost before in a first round game in the 64-team era.

Glen Rice is traded, along with B.J. Armstrong and J.R. Reid, from the Hornets to the Lakers, in exchange for Eddie Jones and a disgruntled Elden Campbell.

#10 seed Gonzaga upsets #6 seed Florida in the Regional Semifinals to advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.

Purdue defeats Duke in the NCAA women’s tournament National Final in San Jose. Ukari Figgs is named Most Outstanding Player.

In the biggest upset in NCAA Tournament National Final history (by point spread), Connecticut defeats Duke 77-74 in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Huskies entered the game as 9.5 point underdogs. Richard Hamilton leads all scorers with 27 points and is named Most Outstanding Player.

April

Kendall Gill ties Larry Kenon’s all-time single game NBA record for steals with 11 in a Nets win over the Heat.

Former UCLA teammates Tyus Edney and George Zidek team up to lead Lithuanian club Zalgiris to its a EuroLeague championship by defeating the Italian team Virtus Bologna in the final. Edney is named Final Four MVP.

May

The Bulls become the first and only defending defending champion to finish with the worst record in their conference in the subsequent season, at 13-37.

A wild NBA playoffs first round include the Knicks becoming just the second #8 seed to upset a #1 seed in a first round NBA playoff series by defeating the Heat in five games five and the #3 seed Jazz narrowly avoiding a first round upset bid from the Kings, emerging victorious in overtime of a winner-take-all game five.

Following a first round playoff loss to the 76ers, Chuck Daly announces his resignation as head coach of the Magic, ending a Hall of Fame career that included two championships.

27 years after his jersey was retired by the franchise in front of a mostly empty arena, the Celtics honor Bill Russell with another jersey retirement ceremony, this time in a public ceremony at TD Garden.

In game two of the Western Conference Finals, the Spurs overcome an 18-point second half deficit and defeat the Trail Blazers 86-85, on Sean Elliott’s game-winning three-pointer that fans dubbed the “Memorial Day Miracle.” San Antonio goes on to win the series in a sweep and make the first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history.

June

Karl Malone becomes the oldest MVP in league history at age 35, in a close vote over Alonzo Mourning and Tim Duncan.

Despite Patrick Ewing missing the majority of the series with a torn tendon, the Knicks upset the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games, becoming the first #8 seed to ever reach the NBA Finals. The series highlight comes late in game three, when New York’s Larry Johnson wins the game with an improbable four-point play. Game five is Indiana’s final home game at Market Square Arena.

Phil Jackson is named head coach of the Lakers, replacing Kurt Rambis, who moves into a front office role.

NBA Finals

• The Spurs defeat the Knicks in five games, winning the first championship in franchise history and becoming the first former ABA franchise to win a title
• Tim Duncan is named Finals MVP

NBA Draft

• Elton Brand (Duke) is selected first overall by the Bulls
• For the first time, four players from the same school are selected in the first round, with three other Duke players besides Brand getting drafted: Trajan Langdon 11th overall by the Cavaliers, Corey Maggette 13th overall by the SuperSonics, and William Avery 14th overall by the Timberwolves
• Steve Francis (Maryland) is selected second overall by the Grizzlies, despite numerous warnings from the player that he did not want to play in Vancouver; two months later, he’s traded to the Rockets as part of a three-team, 11-player blockbuster
• Other notable selections in a strong overall class include the Hornets drafting Baron Davis (UCLA) with the third overall pick, the Wizards drafting Richard Hamilton (Connecticut) with the seventh overall pick, the Suns drafting Shawn Marion (UNLV) with the ninth overall pick, the Bulls drafting Ron Artest (St. John’s) with the 16th overall pick, the Jazz drafting Andrei Kirilenko with the 24th overall pick, and the Spurs drafting Manu Ginobili in the second round

August

Isiah Thomas purchases the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) for $10 million. After 14 months of mismanagement, he places the league in a blind trust in order to take over as head coach of the Pacers. Due to Thomas’ poor decisions and miscues, the CBA, which had been an official feeder system for NBA talent for decades, was overtaken by the D-League and eventually forced to fold.

September

The Houston Comets are WNBA champions for the third year in a row, defeating the New York Liberty in the WNBA Finals. Cynthia Cooper dominates again and is named Finals MVP for the third year in a row.

October

Wilt Chamberlain passes away at his home in Bel Air, California from congestive heart failure at the age of 63.

November

Visual Concepts and Sega release NBA 2K, the first in a now yearly series of NBA video games. Allen Iverson is the original cover athlete and the highest rated player, at a 97 overall.

Hakeem Olajuwon becomes the first NBA player to reach 2,000 career blocks and 2,000 career steals.

December

Nuggets general manager Dan Issel installs himself as the franchise’s head coach for a second time, taking over for the fired Mike D’Antoni. His second time as coach is a disaster, including the players boycotting practice and an incident in which Issel yells a racial slur at a heckling fan.

Wilt Chamberlain has his jersey #13 retired by the Warriors posthumously, becoming the first player to have their jersey retired by three different NBA franchises (also by the 76ers and Lakers).

2000

January

Bobby Phills passes away at age 30 after crashing his car at over 100 mph, while racing his Hornets teammate, David Wesley. The franchise retired his #13 jersey a few weeks later.

Mark Cuban purchases the Dallas Mavericks from H. Ross Perot.

Michael Jordan becomes part owner and president of the Washington Wizards.

February

Dennis Rodman signs as a free agent with the Mavericks, ultimately lasting just 12 games before getting waived, effectively ending his NBA career.

Vince Carter puts on arguably the greatest Slam Dunk Contest performance in the event’s history, defeating his Raptors teammate Tracy McGrady in the final round in Oakland.

Shaquille O’Neal and Tim Duncan share MVP honors as the Western Conference wins the NBA All-Star Game in Oakland. Nine players make their All-Star debuts including Allen Iverson, Ray Allen, and Vince Carter.

March

In a press conference following an embarrassing loss to the Raptors, embattled Celtics coach Rick Pitino delivers his infamous “Larry Bird isn’t walking through that door” quote as part of a bizarre rant about the impatience of Celtics fans.

Sean Elliott becomes the first major pro athlete to return to their sport following a kidney transplant procedure. Elliott received his new kidney from his brother in a surgical procedure that took place in the summer of 1999.

An off-balance jumper from Mike Miller beats the buzzer and gives Florida a 69-68 overtime win over Butler in an NCAA Tournament first round game. After staving off the first round upset, the #5 seed Gators went on to make a surprise run all the way to the National Final.

#8 seeds Wisconsin and North Carolina make shocking Cinderella runs through the NCAA Tournament, both reaching the Final Four.

April

Connecticut defeats Tennessee 71-52 in the NCAA women’s tournament National Final in Philadelphia. Shea Ralph is named Most Outstanding Player.

Michigan State wins the NCAA Tournament, defeating Florida in the National Final in Indianapolis. Mateen Cleaves is named Most Outstanding Player.

Charles Barkley officially retires after 16 seasons in the NBA with the pronouncement “I’m just what America needs, another unemployed Black man.”

May

The Suns defeat the Spurs in four games in the Western Conference Quarterfinals, clinching the series and eliminating the defending champions. The Spurs were without Tim Duncan, who missed the entire series due to a knee injury.

Shaquille O’Neal is honored as NBA league MVP for the first and ultimately only time in his career. Kevin Garnett finishes a distant second place in voting.

While driving home from teammate Kevin Garnett’s birthday party, Malik Sealy of the Timberwolves is struck in his car by a drunk driver and passes away at age 30 from injuries suffered.

June

The Pacers clinch the first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history with a six game series win over the arch rival Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals.

A feisty Trail Blazers team forces the Lakers to a Western Conference Finals game seven and opens up a 16-point lead in the third quarter before Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant lead a furious comeback for an 89-84 win to advance to the NBA Finals.

Franchise legend Joe Dumars is named the Pistons’ President of Basketball Operations, a role he would hold for 14 years and that included a championship in 2004.

NBA Finals

• The Lakers win their first championship in 12 years, defeating the Pacers in six games
• Shaquille O’Neal is named Finals MVP
• Thanks to the Pacers deploying the “Hack-a-Shaq” technique, O’Neal shatters the NBA postseason record for free throw attempts in one game, taking 39 in a game two Lakers win (making only 18 of them)
• Kobe Bryant has one of the defining performances of his career in a game four Lakers overtime win, making numerous clutch plays down the stretch after O’Neal fouled out
• The Pacers roster features numerous veteran stars making their one and only NBA Finals appearance and ultimately retiring without a title, most notably Reggie Miller and Chris Mullin
• True to his word when he took the job in 1998, Larry Bird steps down as Pacers coach after the series is over; he is replaced a few weeks later by Isiah Thomas

NBA Draft

• Kenyon Martin (Cincinnati) is selected first overall by the Nuggets; no college senior has been drafted first overall since
• Mike Miller (Florida) is drafted fifth overall by the Magic and wins Rookie of the Year
• This goes down as the consensus worst draft class of the lottery era, with notable busts including Stromile Swift (LSU) going to the Grizzlies at #2, Darius Miles going to the Clippers at #3, Marcus Fizer (Iowa State) going to the Bulls at #4, DerMarr Johnson (Cincinnati) going to the Hawks at #6, and Chris Mihm (Texas) going to the Bulls at #7

August

Grant Hill is traded from the Pistons to the Magic in exchange for Chucky Atkins and Ben Wallace. While Hill would struggle with injuries during his time in Orlando, Wallace blossomed from un-drafted role player to superstar in his six seasons in Detroit.

Jerry West announces his retirement as the Lakers’ general manager, ending an 21-year run in the team’s front office that included six championships and one NBA Executive of the Year award (in ’95-’96).

The Houston Comets win an unprecedented fourth consecutive WNBA title by sweeping the New York Liberty in the WNBA Finals. Cynthia Cooper, who had announced her impending retirement during the season, is named Finals MVP for the fourth straight time.

September

Bob Knight is fired as head coach at Indiana after 29 years and three national titles, following numerous violent confrontations with players and students. Several hundred students rally on campus that night in protest and burn an effigy of university president Myles Brand, forcing Knight to make an appearance and plea for de-escalation.

In a blockbuster, four-team trade, Patrick Ewing ends his 15 years with the Knicks by getting dealt to the SuperSonics. The Knicks receive Glen Rice, Luc Longley, Vernon Maxwell, Travis Knight, and two first round picks in return.

October

Sydney Olympics

• The U.S. men’s Olympic team, led by Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Vince Carter (who infamously dunks over seven footer Frederic Weiss) defeats France to win the gold medal
• Lithuania win its third consecutive bronze medal and gives the U.S. two scares, first an 85-76 loss in the group stage and then an 85-83 loss in the semifinals
• It’s a stacked men’s field that also includes great performances from Steve Nash on Canada, Andrei Kirilenko on Russia, and Yao Ming on China
• The United States women’s team routs host Australia in the Olympic gold medal game; Teresa Edwards becomes the first player in men’s or women’s basketball to earn four gold medals
• Brazil wins the women’s bronze medal by defeating South Korea

When it’s revealed that the Timberwolves had signed free agent Joe Smith to a contract under an illegal handshake deal, David Stern fines the franchise $3.5 million and strips them of four first round draft picks.

Charles Barkley makes his debut on the cast of TNT’s Inside the NBA, joining Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Peter Vecsey on air for the first time.

November

Jason Kidd ties John Drew’s single game record with 14 turnovers in a Suns loss to the Knicks.

John Stockton plays in his 1,271st career game with the Jazz, breaking John Havlicek’s record (set with the Celtics) for most games with one franchise.

December

During a Jazz win over the Raptors, Karl Malone scores his 31,420th point, moving him into second place in the NBA all-time scoring list, passing Wilt Chamberlain.

2001

January

Rick Pitino steps down as head coach of the Celtics, ending a tumultuous four year run. Just two months later, he returned to the college ranks, taking the head coaching job at Louisville.

Suns All-Star Jason Kidd is arrested at his home in Phoenix on charges of spousal abuse against his then wife, Joumana. Kidd pled guilty but was only sentenced with a small fine and mandatory anger management classes.

February

Allen Iverson leads a wild fourth quarter comeback and is named MVP as the Eastern Conference wins the NBA All-Star Game in Washington, D.C.

March

Grizzlies franchise ownership announces that Memphis will be the new home of their franchise, leaving Vancouver after just six seasons.

During a Jazz win over the Wizards, Karl Malone becomes the all-time NBA leader in career free throws, surpassing Moses Malone with his 8,532nd made free throw.

#15 seed Hampton pulls off one of the most stunning and memorable upsets in NCAA Tournament history, a 58-57 first round shocker over #2 seed Iowa State. The Pirates become just the fourth #15 seed to win a first round tournament game.

Bob Knight is hired as head coach at Texas Tech, just six months after he was fired from Indiana.

Jay Wright is named head coach of the Villanova men’s team, leaving his former job as coach at Hofstra. He would eventually lead the Wildcats to two NCAA titles.

April

Notre Dame wins its first ever NCAA women’s tournament title, defeating Purdue in the National Final in St. Louis. Ruth Riley hits the game winning free throws in the final seconds and is named Most Outstanding Player.

Duke defeats Arizona in the NCAA Tournament National Final in Minneapolis. Shane Battier is named Most Outstanding Player.

Wang Zhizhi becomes the first Chinese-born player in NBA history, when he takes the floor for the Mavericks in a win over the Hawks.

The NBA Board of Governors announce several defensive rule changes for the ’01-’02 season, most notably including a crackdown on hand-checking.

May

The Kings defeat the Suns in four games in the Western Conference Quarterfinals, for their first playoff series victory since re-locating to Sacramento in 1985.

Allen Iverson of the 76ers is named NBA league MVP as part of an especially lucrative awards season for the Sixers. Larry Brown additionally earned Coach of the Year, Dikembe Mutombo was named Defensive Player of the Year, and Aaron McKie won Sixth Man of the Year.

Manu Ginobili is named Finals MVP when he leads Kinder Bologna to a victory over TAU Ceramica in the winner-take-all game five of the EuroLeague Finals.

A thrilling Eastern Conference Semifinals series between the 76ers and Raptors ends with Philly eking out an 88-87 victory in the winner-take-all game seven, when Vince Carter misses a potential game winner. Carter garners controversy by attending graduation ceremonies at the University of North Carolina on the day of game seven. The series also included Iverson becoming the second player after Michael Jordan to score 50+ points in two games in a single series.

June

NBA Finals

• The Lakers cap off a dominant postseason with a five game NBA Finals victory over the 76ers
• Shaquille O’Neal is named Finals MVP for the second time
• The Lakers’ only loss in the 2001 postseason is game one of this series, a 107-101 overtime victory for the 76ers punctuated by Allen Iverson’s 48 point performance
• Iverson averages 35.6 points per game in a valiant losing effort, in the only NBA Finals appearance of his career

NBA Draft

• Kwame Brown becomes the first high school player to be selected first overall when he’s drafted by the Wizards
• Eventual Rookie of the Year Pau Gasol is selected third overall by the Hawks and then traded to the Grizzlies
• Gilbert Arenas (Arizona) is selected in the second round by the Warriors
• Notable busts include high schooler Eddy Curry at #4 to the Bulls, Eddie Griffin (Seton Hall) at #7 to the Nets, and high schooler DeSagan Diop at #8 to the Cavaliers
• Other notable selections include Zach Randolph (Michigan State) getting drafted 19th overall by the Trail Blazers, and Tony Parker getting drafted 28th overall by the Spurs

July

Jason Kidd is traded from the Suns to the Nets in exchange for a package built around Stephon Marbury.

Embattled Knicks general manager Scott Layden signs Allan Houston to one of the worst contracts in league history, a six year, $100 million deal so egregious that the NBA soon after institutes the “Allan Houston Rule” wherein contracts of players who retire or are waived do not count against the team’s luxury tax calculation.

August

Hakeem Olajuwon is traded from the Rockets to the Raptors in exchange for a first round pick and a second round pick, ending a 17 year run in Houston.

The four-time defending WNBA champion Houston Comets are eliminated in the Western Conference Semifinals by Lisa Leslie and the Los Angeles Sparks, who would go on to win their first WNBA title, defeating the Charlotte Sting in the Finals.

Host nation Argentina, led by tournament MVP Manu Ginobili, wins its first ever FIBA AmeriCup title, defeating Brazil in the final in Neuquén.

September

The United States cruises to a Goodwill Games title with a victory over Argentina in the gold medal game in Brisbane, Australia. It was the first and only time that the U.S. Goodwill Games roster featured NBA players (which included Kenyon Martin and Jermaine O’Neal) as the competition was soon after discontinued.

Yugoslavia wins its seventh and final EuroBasket title, led by tournament MVP Peja Stojakovic in Istanbul. Host Turkey earns the silver, while Pau Gasol and Spain outlast Dirk Nowitzki and Germany in the bronze medal game.

Michael Jordan begins his second and final comeback, by signing as a free agent with the Wizards.

October

Latrell Sprewell is fined $250,000 by the Knicks for not disclosing a broken hand suffered right before training camp began. At the time, it was the largest fine ever for an NBA player.

The NBA cancels pre-season games scheduled in Germany, Japan, and Mexico over security concerns in the wake of the September 11 attacks.

November

The NBDL begins its inaugural season as the first major American pro basketball minor league. In the initial NBDL Draft, Chris Andersen is selected first overall by the Fayetteville Patriots and he later becomes the first player called up from the league, when the Nuggets claim his contract.

December

Tim Floyd steps down as head coach of the Bulls, ending one of the worst coaching reigns in NBA history. Floyd compiled a 49-190 record over three-plus seasons and alienated most of his veteran players.

At 38 years and 315 days, Michael Jordan sets the record as the oldest player in NBA history to score 50 or more points in a game, finishing with 51 in a Wizards victory over the Hornets.

Dan Issel steps down as head coach of the Nuggets and is replaced by Mike Evans. Issel’s second time as coach was a disaster, including the players boycotting practice and an incident in which he yelled a racial slur at a heckling fan.

2002

January

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is fined $500,000 by the NBA league office over his criticism of officiating during a Mavs loss to the Spurs. At the time, it was the largest fine for an individual person in NBA history.

February

Kobe Bryant earns his first of four NBA All-Star Game MVP awards, leading the Western Conference to victory in Philadelphia.

March

Duke becomes arguably the greatest team in NCAA Tournament history to fall short of the Final Four, getting upset by Indiana in the South Regional Semifinals in Lexington, Kentucky.

For the first time ever, two double-digit seeds reach the Regional Final of the NCAA Tournament, as #10 seed Kent State upsets #3 seed Pittsburgh in the South Regional Semifinals and #12 seed Missouri upsets #8 seed UCLA in the West Regional Semifinals. Both teams subsequently lose their Regional Final match-ups.

Connecticut completes an undefeated season with a blowout victory over Oklahoma in the NCAA women’s tournament National Final in San Antonio. Swin Cash is named Most Outstanding Player.

April

Maryland wins its first men’s NCAA Tournament championship by defeating Indiana in the National Final in Atlanta. Juan Dixon is named Most Outstanding Player.

Pau Gasol of the Grizzlies is named NBA Rookie of the Year for the ’01-’02 season. He is the first foreign-born player to earn the award and the first Grizzlies player to earn any major NBA award.

May

Allen Iverson gives one of the most infamous press conferences in NBA history, including the memorable quote “we’re talking about practice?”

Tim Duncan is named league MVP for the first time, narrowly edging out Jason Kidd in one of the closest votes in the award’s history.

Owner George Shinn officially re-locates the Hornets from Charlotte to New Orleans.

In the biggest comeback in NBA playoffs history, the Celtics overcome a 21-point deficit to defeat the New Jersey Nets 94-90 in game three of the Eastern Conference Finals, taking a 2-1 series lead. But the Nets would rally to win the next three games and advance to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.

The Lakers defeat the Kings in one of the most heated, exciting, and controversial Conference Finals of all time. Game four is won by the Lakers on a crazy final play, with Robert Horry catching a deflected rebound off a Shaquille O’Neal missed shot and burying a clutch buzzer beater to give the Lakers the win and tie the series 2-2. A game six Lakers win is one of the most controversial games in NBA history, with L.A. shooting 40 free throws compared to just 25 for the Kings. Game seven goes to overtime, with the Lakers winning as the Kings shoot just 2-of-20 from three-point range.

June

NBA Finals

• The Lakers win their third consecutive championship, defeating the Nets in a sweep
• Shaquille O’Neal becomes the first player to earn three consecutive Finals MVP trophies
• The series serves as the final radio broadcasts for the legendary Chick Hearn, who retires afterwards due to health issues and passes away a few months later

NBA Draft

• Yao Ming is selected first overall by the Rockets, becoming the first foreign-born player without NCAA experience to be the top pick
• Jay Williams (Duke) is selected second overall by the Bulls but plays just one season in the NBA
• High schooler Amar’e Stoudemire is drafted ninth overall by the Suns and goes on to win Rookie of the Year

July

A relatively quiet NBA offseason is highlighted by the Pistons signing free agent Chauncey Billups, who would become the centerpiece of their ’03-’04 title team.

August

The Los Angeles Sparks are back-to-back WNBA champions, defeating the New York Liberty in a WNBA Finals sweep. Lisa Leslie is named Finals MVP.

The 14th FIBA World Championship gets underway in Indianapolis and numerous international superstars make their debut, including Pau Gasol for Spain, Yao Ming for China, Andrei Kirilenko for Russia, Peja Stojakovic for Yugoslavia, and Germany’s Dirk Nowitzki, who ultimately wins tournament MVP.

September

Yugoslavia wins a record fifth FIBA World Cup gold medal, while Argentina (led by Manu Ginobili) earns silver, and Germany (led by Dirk Nowitzki) take home bronze. Despite playing on home soil in Indianapolis, the United States finishes a disappointing sixth place and becomes the first ever American roster featuring NBA players to lose a game.

Lisa Leslie is named tournament MVP as the United States defeats Russia in the FIBA World Championship for Women gold medal game in Nanjing, China. Lauren Jackson leads the Australian team to the bronze medal.

October

China hosts a game between two NBA teams for the first time ever, when the Rockets and Kings play a pre-season match-up in Yao Ming’s hometown of Shanghai.

November

The NBA Board of Governors approves a new expansion franchise for the city of Charlotte for the ’02-’03 season, which would eventually be named the Bobcats.

2003

February

Just prior to tip-off of the NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta, Vince Carter gives up his starting spot for the Eastern Conference to Michael Jordan, who was making his 13th and final appearance. Kevin Garnett is named MVP as the West wins in double overtime.

SuperSonics legend Gary Payton is traded, along with Desmond Mason, to the Bucks in exchange for Ray Allen, Ronald Murray, Kevin Ollie, and a first round pick.

Just four days after his 40th birthday, Michael Jordan becomes the oldest player in NBA history to score 40 or more points in a game, finishing with 43 in a Wizards victory over the Nets.

April

Connecticut wins its second consecutive NCAA women’s tournament title, defeating Tennessee in the National Final in Atlanta. Diana Taurasi is named Most Outstanding Player.

Freshman phenom Carmelo Anthony is named Most Outstanding Player as he leads Syracuse to its first NCAA Tournament title, defeating Kansas in the National Final in New Orleans.

NBA first round series are extended from best-of-five format to best-of-seven.

Roy Williams is hired as head coach at North Carolina, replacing the resigning Matt Doherty. He is replaced at Kansas by Bill Self.

May

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 narrowly avoid a major first round upset by overcoming a 3-1 series deficit to defeat Tracy McGrady and the Magic in seven games.

The Spurs defeat the Lakers in six games in the Western Conference Semifinals, eliminating the three-time defending champions and exacting revenge for losses to Los Angeles in the 2001 and 2002 playoffs.

The Mavericks reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 15 years, but Dirk Nowitzki suffers a sprained knee in game three and the Spurs cruise to a series victory in six games.

June

After resigning from the 76ers, Larry Brown is named head coach of the Pistons, replacing the fired Rick Carlisle.

Wes Unseld steps down as general manager of the Wizards, ending a near continual 45-year relationship with the franchise, first as a legendary player, then as vice president, then as head coach, and then as general manager.

NBA Finals

• The Spurs defeat the Nets in six games
• Tim Duncan is named Finals MVP
• David Robinson and Steve Kerr both retire as an NBA champion

NBA Draft

• LeBron James is selected first overall by the Cavaliers, headlining one of the greatest draft classes of the lottery era
• Darko Milicic is selected second overall by the Pistons and goes down as one of the all-time draft busts
• Carmelo Anthony (Syracuse) is selected third overall by the Nuggets
• Chris Bosh (Georgia Tech) is selected fourth overall by the Raptors
• Dwyane Wade (Marquette) is selected fifth overall by the Heat

July

In a single day, the Lakers sign legends Gary Payton and Karl Malone, who are both chasing the first title of their career. Malone would retire after the season ended with an NBA Finals loss.

August

Restricted free agent Gilbert Arenas signs a six-year, $65 million contract with the Wizards, as his previous team, the Warriors, were already over the salary cap and could not match. In response, the NBA adopts the “Arenas Rule” in 2005 to limit the amount of money former second round picks becoming restricted free agents could be offered by other teams.

After three mediocre seasons, Isiah Thomas is fired as coach of the Pacers by newly installed team president Larry Bird, who replaces him with his old Celtics teammate Rick Carlisle.

Tim Duncan leads the United States to a FIBA AmeriCup title in San Juan, defeating Argentina in the final. The U.S. roster also featured NBA All-Stars Allen Iverson, Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, and Ray Allen. Steve Nash is named tournament MVP though Canada loses to host Puerto Rico in the bronze medal game.

September

Lithuania are champions of the EuroBasket in Stockholm, defeating Spain in the Final. Italy defeats France in the third place game to clinch a spot in the 2004 Olympics.

The Detroit Shock win their first WNBA title by defeating the Los Angeles Sparks in the Finals. Ruth Riley is named Finals MVP.

October

In his NBA debut, LeBron James becomes the youngest player in NBA history to score 25+ points in a game, finishing with 25 points and nine assists at age 18 years and 303 days, in a Cavaliers loss to the Kings.

December

Mike D’Antoni is hired as head coach of the Suns, replacing Frank Johnson, beginning the “seven seconds or less” era.

Isiah Thomas is hired as vice president of the Knicks, kicking off a disastrous five-year run as a team executive and coach that set the franchise back years.

2004

February

Shaquille O’Neal is named MVP in front of the home fans at the NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles, in what would ultimately be his last All-Star appearance in a Lakers uniform.

Rasheed Wallace is traded from the Hawks to the Pistons as part of a three team deal that also includes the Celtics. Wallace had been traded by the Blazers to the Hawks 10 days prior.

April

Connecticut becomes the first (and only) program to win a men’s and women’s NCAA Tournament title in the same season. The men’s team defeats Georgia Tech in the National Final in San Antonio, with Emeka Okafor named Most Outstanding Player. One day later, the women’s team defeats Tennessee in the National Final in New Orleans, with Diana Taurasi earning her second consecutive Most Outstanding Player award.

With John Stockton retired and Karl Malone a Laker, the Jazz miss the NBA postseason for the first time in 20 years, finishing ninth in the Western Conference with a 42-40 record.

For the first time ever, the Nets defeat the Knicks in a playoff series, sweeping their regional rivals in a first round series. After this loss, the Knicks would not return to the playoffs for seven years.

LeBron James is named NBA Rookie of the Year for the ’03-’04 season, with Denver’s Carmelo Anthony finishing a close second in voting, followed by Miami’s Dwyane Wade in third.

Doc Rivers is hired as head coach of the Celtics, replacing interim coach John Carroll.

May

Kevin Garnett is named league MVP for the ’03-’04 NBA season, becoming the first MVP winner for the Timberwolves and only the second to be honored as such after joining the NBA with no college experience (following Moses Malone).

Kevin Garnett leads the Timberwolves to their first playoff series wins in franchise history, first defeating the Nuggets in five games in the first round, then the Kings in seven games in the Conference Semifinals, before losing to the Lakers in their Conference Finals debut.

The Lakers eliminate the defending champion Spurs in a Conference Semifinals series highlighted by a thrilling finish to game five, wherein Tim Duncan hit an incredible off-balance jumper to give the Spurs the lead only to watch Derek Fisher nail a three-pointer at the buzzer for the Lakers win.

June

NBA Finals

• The Detroit Pistons defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in five games, in the biggest upset in Finals history
• Chauncey Billups is named Finals MVP
• The roster includes a rookie Darko Milicic, who plays light minutes in garbage time during the postseason
• Karl Malone makes the third and final NBA Finals appearance of his career, retiring in the subsequent offseason as the all-time leader in postseason appearances (19) without a championship

NBA Draft

• Dwight Howard is selected first overall by the Magic, marking an unprecedented fourth consecutive year in which the #1 pick had no college basketball experience
• Eventual Rookie of the Year Emeka Okafor (Connecticut) goes second overall to the Bobcats

Tracy McGrady is traded from the Magic to the Rockets, along with Juwan Howard and Tyronn Lue, in exchange for Kelvin Cato, Steve Francis, and Cuttino Mobley.

July

Likely as a reaction to his ongoing feud with teammate Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal is traded from the Lakers to the Heat in exchange for a package of players and draft picks.

Steve Nash signs as a free agent with the Suns, leaving the Mavericks after six seasons.

The first ever Las Vegas NBA Summer League gets underway, with the Suns, Wizards, Cavaliers, Magic, Celtics, and Nuggets competing in a round robin tournament.

Carlos Boozer signs a controversial free agency contract with the Jazz, supposedly reneging on a handshake agreement with Cavaliers general manager Jim Paxson.

August

The rebuilding Lakers make a rare trade with their bitter, cross-country rivals, sending Gary Payton to the Celtics, along with Rick Fox and a first round pick, in exchange for Chucky Atkins, Jumaine Jones, and Chris Mihm.

Athens Olympics

• Manu Ginobili leads Argentina to the gold medal in the men’s tournament, defeating Italy in the gold medal game
• For the first time since NBA players were allowed to compete, the United States men’s team is defeated in Olympics competition, dropping preliminary round games against Puerto Rico and Lithuania, then a semifinals game to Argentina, forcing them to settle for a bronze medal
• The U.S. women’s team, led by Tina Thompson and Sheryl Swoopes, earns its third consecutive Olympics gold medal; Australia wins the silver medal and Russia defeats Brazil in the bronze medal game

October

The Seattle Storm win their first WNBA title with a Finals victory over the Connecticut Sun. Betty Lennox is named Finals MVP.

An NBA preseason game is played in China for the first time, with fans streaming to see Yao Ming and the Rockets take on the Kings in Shanghai.

November

Vince Carter is traded from the Raptors to the Nets in exchange for Alonzo Mourning, Aaron Williams, Eric Williams, and two first round picks, in a controversial move facilitated by new general manager Rob Babcock.

Late in a Pacers victory over the Pistons in Detroit, the infamous “Malice at the Palace” is set off by an on-court altercation between Indiana’s Ron Artest and Detroit’s Ben Wallace, which eventually spirals into a full melee, including players rushing into the stands to fight with unruly fans. Nine players were eventually suspended for their role in the incident, while the NBA also altered its fan conduct regulations regarding arena security and alcohol sales.

December

Tracy McGrady puts on one of the most impressive scoring outbursts in NBA history, dropping 13 points in the final 35 seconds of the game to give the Rockets an improbable, come-from-behind win over the Spurs.

Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal face off against each other for the first time in a heavily hyped Christmas Day match-up between the Lakers and Heat, won by the latter in overtime.

2005

February

LeBron James makes his NBA All-Star Game debut and Allen Iverson is named MVP as the Eastern Conference wins in Denver.

March

Don Nelson suddenly resigns mid-season as head coach of the Mavericks, turning over the job to his top assistant, Avery Johnson.

#14 seed Bucknell shocks #3 seed Kansas in an NCAA Tournament first round game. It marks the first time in 20 appearances that Kansas is eliminated in the opening round.

April

Baylor defeats Michigan State in the NCAA women’s tournament National Final in Indianapolis. Sophia Young is named Most Outstanding Player.

North Carolina wins its fourth national championship, defeating Illinois in the NCAA Tournament National Final in St. Louis. The Most Outstanding Player award goes to Sean May.

May

The Wizards pick up a playoff series win for the first time in 23 years, defeating the Bulls in six games in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

Led by Lithuanian Sarunas Jasikevicius and American Anthony Parker, Maccabi Tel Aviv wins its second consecutive EuroLeague championship by defeating Tau Ceramica in the Final.

Steve Nash of the Suns is officially announced as NBA league MVP for the ’04-’05 season. Shaquille O’Neal finishes a close second in voting, while LeBron James is sixth in just his second season in the league.

Six months after the teams scuffled in the “Malice at the Palace,” the Pistons eliminate the Pacers from the postseason in six games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Ron Artest does not appear due to his suspension.

Maurice Cheeks is hired as head coach of the 76ers, replacing the fired Jim O’Brien. Despite his leadership skills and franchise legend status, Cheeks struggled in his coaching role, feuding with star player Allen Iverson and eventually getting fired after less than four seasons in charge.

June

With Dwyane Wade suffering from the effects of a rib injury, the Pistons overcome the Heat in a thrilling seven game Eastern Conference Finals.

NBA Finals

• The Spurs defeat the Pistons in seven games, clinching their third championship of the Tim Duncan/Gregg Popovich era
• Duncan is named Finals MVP for the third time in his career
• Robert Horry is the hero in an exciting game five, scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter and overtime to lead the Spurs to a victory and 3-2 series lead

NBA Draft

• Australian Andrew Bogut (Utah) is selected first overall by the Bucks
• Chris Paul (Wake Forest) is selected fourth overall by the New Orleans Hornets
• Notable busts include the Hawks drafting Marvin Williams (North Carolina) at #2, the Raptors drafting Charlie Villanueva (Connecticut) at #7, the Warriors drafting Ike Diogu (Arizona state) at #9, and the Magic drafting Fran Vazquez at #11

Larry Brown is hired by general manager Isiah Thomas as head coach of the Knicks, leaving behind the Pistons team he had just led to back-to-back NBA Finals.

August

Following an arrest for a DUI, Bob Huggins is forced to re-sign as head coach of Cincinnati after 16 years in charge.

Hurricane Katrina touches down in New Orleans, causing excessive damage to the area around the New Orleans Arena. This forces the Hornets to play their home games in Oklahoma City for the next two seasons.

September

Yolanda Griffith is named Finals MVP as the Sacramento Monarchs are WNBA champions for the first time, defeating the Connecticut Sun in the Finals.

Greece defeats Germany in the EuroBasket Final in Belgrade. Dirk Nowitzki is named tournament MVP. France defeats Spain in the third place game.

October

Metta World Peace is officially re-instated by commissioner David Stern ahead of the ’05-’06 season, ending a nearly year-long suspension resulting from his role in the “Malice at the Palace” incident in November 2004.

Commissioner David Stern officially institutes a controversial dress code for players ahead of the ’05-’06 season, specifically banning items such as as do-rags, large jewelry, t-shirts, and jeans.

Amar’e Stoudemire undergoes surgery to repair cartilage damage in his knee. He returns to the Suns lineup in late March but for only three games before getting shut down for the remainder of the ’05-’06 season due to knee soreness.

November

By taking the court for the Lakers just six days after his 18th birthday, Andrew Bynum becomes the youngest player in NBA history.

December

With the Heat off to a sluggish start with a 11-10 record, Stan Van Gundy steps down as head coach, citing a desire to spend more time with his family. He is replaced by Pat Riley, who returns to coaching after two years in the Heat front office.

2006

January

Kobe Bryant scores 81 points in a 122-104 Lakers win over the Raptors, the second highest total in a single game in NBA history. It also breaks Elgin Baylor’s single game Lakers franchise record.

February

A 21-year-old LeBron James becomes the youngest All-Star Game MVP in NBA history, leading the Eastern Conference to a comeback win in Houston.

March

The Hornets return to New Orleans after a temporary re-location to Oklahoma City due to Hurricane Katrina.

#11 seed George Mason stuns Michigan State, North Carolina, Wichita State, and Connecticut in succession to reach the NCAA Tournament Final Four, where they are eliminated in the National Semifinals by Florida.

April

It’s an all-ACC National Final in the NCAA women’s tournament for the first and only time ever and it goes to overtime, with Maryland defeating Duke in Boston. Laura Harper is named Most Outstanding Player.

Florida wins its first ever men’s national championship with a victory over UCLA in the NCAA Tournament National Final in Indianapolis. Joakim Noah is named Most Outstanding Player.

For the first time since re-locating to California in 1978 the Clippers win a playoff series, defeating the Nuggets in five games in the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

The top-seeded Suns narrowly avoid a first round upset, coming back from a 3-1 series deficit to defeat the Lakers. Kobe Bryant hits a thrilling buzzer beater to clinch a Lakers win in game four but struggles in the back end of the series, most notably in a game seven Phoenix blowout win.

May

LeBron James leads the Cavaliers to their first playoff series victory in 13 years, defeating the Wizards in six games in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Cleveland goes on to almost upset the Pistons in the Conference Semifinals, ultimately losing in seven games.

Steve Nash is named MVP for the second straight season in a controversial voting result over Dirk Nowitzki and LeBron James.

The defending champion Spurs are eliminated in the Conference Semifinals by the Mavericks, with Dirk Nowitzki leading the way in an epic game seven victory.

June

For the first time in franchise history, the Mavericks advance to the NBA Finals, defeating the Suns in the Western Conference Finals in six games.

NBA Finals

• The Heat upset the Mavericks in six games in a controversial series, with Dallas receiving an inordinate amount of personal foul calls
• Dwyane Wade is named Finals MVP

• The Mavericks led the series 2-0 and by 13 points in the fourth quarter of game three before the Heat mustered an incredible comeback

NBA Draft

• The first draft under the new age eligibility rule wherein players must be 19 years old and at least one year removed from their high school graduating class
• Italy’s Andrea Bargnani is selected first overall by the Raptors
• The Trail Blazers land the only two All-Stars in the lottery of this draft class: LaMarcus Aldridge (Texas) with the second overall pick and Brandon Roy (Washington) with the sixth overall pick
• Notable busts include the Bobcats drafting Adam Morrison (Gonzaga) at #3, the Hawks drafting Shelden Williams (Duke) at #5, and the SuperSonics drafting Mouhamed Sene at #9
• Paul Millsap (Louisiana Tech) falls to the Jazz in the second round
• J.J. Barea goes un-drafted but eventually makes the Mavericks roster via summer league

July

The NBA league office announces that the official league ball as provided by Spalding will be changed for the ’06-’07 season to a new synthetic composite. Backlash from the players is nearly immediate, eventually forcing David Stern to reverse course and revert back to the original ball style mid-season.

August

The Warriors buy out the contract of coach Mike Montgomery and replace him with Don Nelson, who returns to the franchise 11 years after his first stint as their coach.

September

Finals MVP Deanna Nolan leads the Detroit Shock to the WNBA title, defeating the Sacramento Monarchs in the Finals.

Led by a dominant Pau Gasol, Spain wins its first FIBA World Championship, defeating Greece in the gold medal game in Japan. A talented but young U.S. team, headlined by LeBron James, is upset by the Greeks in the semifinals but recovers to defeat Argentina in the bronze medal game.

Australia wins its first ever FIBA World Championship for Women title, with a victory over Russia in the gold medal game in São Paulo. Penny Taylor is named tournament MVP. Russia had previously pulled off a semifinals stunner over the United States, who settle for bronze.

October

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz sells the SuperSonics to Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett, who initially vows to keep the team in Seattle.

November

A bench clearing brawl during a Knicks-Nuggets game leads to numerous heavy suspensions, most notably 15 games for Denver’s Carmelo Anthony.

December

Allen Iverson is traded from the 76ers to the Nuggets in exchange for Andre Miller, Joe Smith, and two first round picks.

2007

February

While appearing on ESPN to promote his upcoming book, John Amaechi becomes the first former NBA player to publicly come out as gay.

Las Vegas is a first-time host of the NBA All-Star Game, where the Western Conference wins and Kobe Bryant is named MVP.

While coaching practice for the Austin Toros of the NBA G-League, Dennis Johnson collapses on court and is later pronounced dead from a heart attack at age 52.

April

Tennessee finishes a dominant run through the NCAA women’s tournament with a victory over Rutgers in the National Final in Cleveland. Candace Parker is named Most Outstanding Player.

Florida wins its second straight NCAA Tournament, defeating Ohio State in the National Final in Atlanta. Corey Brewer is named Most Outstanding Player.

The defending champion Heat end a feeble, injury-riddled title defense by getting swept by the Bulls in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

May

In one of the most shocking upsets in NBA playoffs history, the #8 seed Warriors eliminate the top-seeded Mavericks in six games. This leads to a further embarrassing moment later for Dirk Nowitzki, who is forced to accept his league MVP trophy in an awkward press conference.

A Spurs-Suns Conference Semifinals series is marred by a game four brawl, which leads to suspensions for Phoenix’s Boris Diaw and Amare Stoudemire for leaving the bench This triggers automatic one game suspensions that swing the playoff series in the favor of San Antonio, who puts it away in six games.

LeBron James is virtually unstoppable against the vaunted Pistons defense, leading the Cavaliers to a six game Conference Finals upset and their first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history. Game five is the peak of the series and James’ performance, as he scores Cleveland’s final 36 points (and 48 points total, lending the game its “48 Special” nickname) in a double overtime win. Rookie Daniel Gibson is the hero in the clinching game six, scoring 31 points off the bench.

June

NBA Finals

• The Spurs dominate the Cavaliers in a four game sweep, for the fourth title of the Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich era
• Tony Parker is named Finals MVP
• Despite the presence of LeBron James in his first NBA Finals, the series has the lowest television ratings in NBA Finals history

NBA Draft

• Greg Oden (Ohio State) is selected first overall by the Trail Blazers, in one of the biggest mistakes in NBA Draft history
• Kevin Durant (Texas) is selected second overall by the SuperSonics
• Three players from the two-time defending champion Florida Gators are drafted in the top 10: Al Horford to the Hawks at #3, Corey Brewer to the Timberwolves at #7, and Joakim Noah to the Bulls at #9
• Spain’s Marc Gasol falls to the Lakers in the second round

Ray Allen is traded from the SuperSonics to the Celtics, along with Glen Davis, in exchange for Jeff Green, Wally Szczerbiak, and Delonte West.

July

News breaks that the FBI is investigating NBA referee Tim Donaghy for gambling on games and using his position to affect outcomes, setting off one of the biggest controversies in league history.

Kevin Garnett is traded from the Timberwolves to the Celtics, in exchange for Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Al Jefferson, Theo Ratliff, Sebastian Telfair, and two first round picks.

September

The United States “Redeem Team,” led by Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade, play their first competitive basketball at the FIBA AmeriCup in Las Vegas, defeating Argentina in the Final to clinch a spot in the Beijing Olympics.

Russia wins its first and only post-Soviet EuroBasket title by defeating the host Spainiards 60-59 in a thrilling Final in Madrid. Andrei Kirilenko is named tournament MVP while American-born, naturalized-Russian J.R. Holden is the hero in the gold medal game, hitting the game winner.

The Phoenix Mercury are WNBA champions for the first time, defeating the Detroit Shock in a winner-take-all game five of the WNBA Finals. Cappie Pondexter is named Finals MVP.

2008

February

An NBA All-Star Game takes place in New Orleans for the first time, with LeBron James earning MVP honors in an Eastern Conference win. Chris Paul of the hometown Hornets makes his All-Star debut.

Shaquille O’Neal is traded from the Heat to the Suns in exchange for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks.

Pau Gasol is traded from the Grizzlies to the Lakers, along with a second round pick, in exchange for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Marc Gasol, Aaron McKie, and two first round picks.

March

Stephen Curry leads #10 seed Davidson on a Cinderella run through the NCAA Tournament, upsetting Wisconsin and Georgetown before a Regional Final defeat at the hands of Kansas.

April

Tennessee wins its eighth NCAA women’s tournament title, defeating Stanford in the National Final in Tampa. Candace Parker is named Most Outstanding Player for the second consecutive year. It’s also the 18th and last Final Four appearance for the Volunteers under Pat Summit.

Kansas defeats Memphis in overtime in a thrilling NCAA Tournament National Final in San Antonio, highlighted by a game tying shot at the end of regulation by Mario Chalmers, who is named Most Outstanding Player.

Isiah Thomas is fired as head coach of the Knicks, ending a disastrous five-year relationship with the team that also included a horrendous run as general manager.

The NBA owners vote 28-2 to allow the Seattle SuperSonics to relocate to Oklahoma City.

Erik Spoelstra is named as head coach of the Heat at age 37, replacing Pat Riley, who returns to the front office.

May

Trajan Langdon leads CSKA Moscow to the EuroLeague title, with a victory in the championship game over Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Kobe Bryant earns the league MVP award. Chris Paul finishes second in voting.

June

NBA Finals

• For the 11th time in league history but the first time in 21 years, the Celtics and Lakers face off in the NBA Finals, with the Celtics prevailing in six games
• Paul Pierce is named Finals MVP
• The focal point of the series was game four, when the Celtics pulled off the biggest comeback in Finals history, erasing a 24-point deficit to win and take a commanding 3-1 series lead

NBA Draft

• Derrick Rose (Memphis) is selected first overall by the Bulls
• UCLA teammates Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love are selected fourth and fifth by the SuperSonics and Timberwolves, respectively
• DeAndre Jordan (Texas A&M) is selected in the second round by the Clippers

July

In a response to the recent draft eligibility rule instituted by the NBA, Brandon Jennings signs a contract with Italian club Virtus Roma, becoming the first American to join a European pro team straight out of high school.

The criminal trial of former NBA referee Tim Donaghy, which included his lawyer filing a court document alleging that high level NBA executives had conspired multiple times with league referees to fix the outcome of certain games, ends with a 15-year sentence for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

August

Beijing Olympics

• Earning their “Reedem Team” nickname, the U.S. men’s team dominates, culminating with a win over Spain in the gold medal game
• Defending Olympic champs Argentina are defeated by the U.S. in the semifinals and recover to beat Lithuania and earn bronze
• The United States women’s team earn their fourth straight gold medal, winning every game by at least 15 points
• For the third consecutive Olympics, the Australian women’s team settles for silver while Russia defeats host China in the bronze medal game

October

Finals MVP Katie Smith leads the Detroit Shock to their third WNBA title, defeating the San Antonio Silver Stars in a Finals sweep.

December

The WNBA announces that the Houston Comets franchise is folding, despite the team being the league’s first dynasty with four consecutive titles between 1997 and 2000.

2009

February

During All-Star Weekend in Phoenix, the NBA debuts a new event, a H-O-R-S-E competition. Named G-E-I-C-O for sponsorship purposes, the contest is won by Kevin Durant.

After the West wins the NBA All-Star Game in Phoenix, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal are named co-MVPs and reportedly officially end their long-standing feud during the postgame celebration.

March

The second longest game in college basketball history takes place in the Quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament, as Syracuse defeats Connecticut 127-117 in six overtimes.

Scottie Reynolds goes coast-to-coast for a buzzer beating floating jumper to give Villanova a 78-76 victory over Pittsburgh in the NCAA Tournament East Regional Finals in Boston.

April

Connecticut defeats Louisville in the NCAA women’s tournament National Final in St. Louis. Tina Charles is named Most Outstanding Player.

North Carolina defeats Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament National Final. Wayne Ellington is named Most Outstanding Player.

LeBron James leads the Cavaliers to an Eastern Conference Quarterfinals sweep of the Pistons. It marks the first time since 2002 that Detroit fails to reach at least the Conference Finals.

The Celtics defeat the Bulls in seven games in one of the most exciting Conference Quarterfinals series of all time, with four contests going to overtime, most notably the triple overtime incredible game six.

For the first time in nine years, the Spurs fail to advance to at least the Conference Semifinals, as they’re upset in the first round by the Mavericks in five games.

May

LeBron James is named NBA league MVP for the first time. Kobe Bryant finishes second in voting, followed by Dwyane Wade in third.

Dwight Howard and the Magic upset LeBron James and the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games.

June

NBA Finals

• The Lakers defeat the Magic in five games
• Kobe Bryant is named Finals MVP
• Phil Jackson becomes the first NBA head coach to win 10 championships
• Dwight Howard sets the NBA Finals single game record with nine blocked shots in game four

NBA Draft

• Blake Griffin (Oklahoma) is selected first overall by the Clippers but winds up sitting out an entire season after fracturing his knee
• Hasheem Thabeet (Connecticut) is selected second overall by the Grizzlies
• James Harden (Arizona State) is selected third overall by the Thunder
• Stephen Curry (Davidson) is selected seventh overall by the Warriors
• Tyreke Evans (Memphis) is selected fourth overall by the Kings and goes on to win Rookie of the Year
• Other notable selections in one of the great draft classes of all time include the Timberwolves drafting Ricky Rubio at #5, the Raptors drafting DeMar DeRozan (USC) at #9, and the 76ers drafting Jrue Holiday (UCLA) at #17
• In addition to Hasheem Thabeet, another notable bust in this draft is Jonny Flynn (Syracuse), who is selected sixth overall by the Timberwolves in an overall confounding draft day performance from the franchise’s front office

September

Spain wins its first ever EuroBasket title with a victory over Serbia in the Final in Katowice, Poland. Pau Gasol is named tournament MVP.

October

The Phoenix Mercury defeat the Indiana Fever in a WNBA Finals that goes to a winner-take-all game five. Diana Taurasi becomes the first WNBA player since Lisa Leslie in 2001 to earn league MVP and Finals MVP in the same season.

November

In just his seventh career NBA game, Brandon Jennings explodes for 55 points for the Bucks, setting the single game rookie record in the post-merger era.

During a Mavericks victory over the Rockets, Jason Kidd records his 10,335th career assist, passing Mark Jackson for second in NBA history, behind only John Stockton.

December

Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton pull guns on each other in the Wizards locker room, in an escalation of an ongoing feud revolving around gambling debts. Both players were later suspended indefinitely and Crittenton never played again in the NBA.