The following are the basketball events that are expected to take place in 2015 throughout the world.
Tournaments include international (FIBA), professional (club) and amateur and collegiate levels.
National team tournaments
Summer Olympics qualifying
*Teams that qualified to the Olympics are boldfaced.
Men
*
AfroBasket 2015 at
Tunisia
Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisia also shares m ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 FIBA Americas Championship
The 2015 FIBA Americas Championship for Men, later known as the FIBA AmeriCup, was the FIBA Americas qualifying tournament for the 2016 Summer Olympics, in Brazil. This FIBA AmeriCup tournament was held in Mexico City, Mexico. The tournament wa ...
at
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 FIBA Asia Championship
The 2015 FIBA Asia Championship was the 28th and last edition of the FIBA Asia Championship in men's basketball in Asia. It was organised by FIBA Asia.
At the FIBA Asia Congress held in Doha, Qatar, the Central Board awarded the hosting rights t ...
at China:
*:
*:
*:
*
EuroBasket 2015
EuroBasket 2015 was the 39th edition of the EuroBasket championship that was organized by FIBA Europe. It was co-hosted by Croatia, France, Germany, and Latvia, making it the first EuroBasket held in more than one country. It started on 5 Sept ...
at
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
,
Croatia
Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
,
Latvia
Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...
and
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 FIBA Oceania Championship
The 2015 FIBA Oceania Championship for Men was the 22nd edition of the FIBA Oceania Championship. The tournament featured a two-game series between Australia and New Zealand. It also served as the qualifying tournament of FIBA Oceania for b ...
at Australia and New Zealand:
*:
*:
Women
*
AfroBasket Women 2015 at
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the R ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 FIBA Americas Women's Championship at Canada:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 FIBA Asia Women's Championship at China:
*:
*:
*:
*
EuroBasket Women 2015 at Hungary and
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 FIBA Oceania Women's Championship at Australia and New Zealand:
*:
*:
Basketball at multi-sport events
Men
*
2015 All-Africa Games in
Brazzaville
Brazzaville () is the capital (political), capital and largest city of the Republic of the Congo. Administratively, it is a Departments of the Republic of the Congo, department and a Communes of the Republic of the Congo, commune. Constituting t ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 European Games
The 1st European Games (), also known as the 2015 European Games or Baku 2015 (), were the inaugural edition of the European Games, an international multi-sport event for athletes representing the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) of the Europe ...
in
Baku
Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...
(3x3):
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 Games of the Small States of Europe in
Iceland
Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 Island Games in
Jersey
Jersey ( ; ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey, is an autonomous and self-governing island territory of the British Islands. Although as a British Crown Dependency it is not a sovereign state, it has its own distinguishing civil and gov ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 Pacific Games
The 15th Pacific Games, also known as Port Moresby 2015 or POM 2015, was held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, from 4 to 18 July 2015. It was the fifteenth staging of the Pacific Games as well as the third to be hosted in Port Moresby.
More tha ...
in
Port Moresby
(; Tok Pisin: ''Pot Mosbi''), also referred to as Pom City or simply Moresby, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea. It is one of the largest cities in the southwestern Pacific (along with Jayapura) outside of Australia and New ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 Pan American Games
The 2015 Pan American Games (), officially the XVII Pan American Games () and commonly known as the Toronto 2015 Pan-Am Games (Toronto 2015), were a major international multi-sport event celebrated in the tradition of the Pan American Games, ...
in
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 Southeast Asian Games
The 2015 Southeast Asian Games, officially known as the 28th Southeast Asian Games, or the 28th SEA Games, and commonly known as Singapore 2015, were a Southeast Asian multi-sport event held by the city-state of Singapore from 5 to 16 June 201 ...
in
Singapore
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 Summer Universiade
The 2015 Summer Universiade (), officially known as the XXVIII Summer Universiade () and also known as Gwangju 2015 () was a multi-sport event for student and youth athletes sanctioned by the International University Sports Federation (FISU), hel ...
in
Gwangju
Gwangju (; ), formerly romanized as Kwangju, is South Korea's list of cities in South Korea, sixth-largest metropolis. It is a designated Special cities of South Korea, metropolitan city under the direct control of the central government's Home ...
:
*:
*:
*:
Women
*
2015 All-Africa Games in
Brazzaville
Brazzaville () is the capital (political), capital and largest city of the Republic of the Congo. Administratively, it is a Departments of the Republic of the Congo, department and a Communes of the Republic of the Congo, commune. Constituting t ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 European Games
The 1st European Games (), also known as the 2015 European Games or Baku 2015 (), were the inaugural edition of the European Games, an international multi-sport event for athletes representing the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) of the Europe ...
in
Baku
Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...
(3x3):
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 Games of the Small States of Europe in
Iceland
Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 Island Games in
Jersey
Jersey ( ; ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey, is an autonomous and self-governing island territory of the British Islands. Although as a British Crown Dependency it is not a sovereign state, it has its own distinguishing civil and gov ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 Pacific Games
The 15th Pacific Games, also known as Port Moresby 2015 or POM 2015, was held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, from 4 to 18 July 2015. It was the fifteenth staging of the Pacific Games as well as the third to be hosted in Port Moresby.
More tha ...
in
Port Moresby
(; Tok Pisin: ''Pot Mosbi''), also referred to as Pom City or simply Moresby, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea. It is one of the largest cities in the southwestern Pacific (along with Jayapura) outside of Australia and New ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 Pan American Games
The 2015 Pan American Games (), officially the XVII Pan American Games () and commonly known as the Toronto 2015 Pan-Am Games (Toronto 2015), were a major international multi-sport event celebrated in the tradition of the Pan American Games, ...
in
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 Southeast Asian Games
The 2015 Southeast Asian Games, officially known as the 28th Southeast Asian Games, or the 28th SEA Games, and commonly known as Singapore 2015, were a Southeast Asian multi-sport event held by the city-state of Singapore from 5 to 16 June 201 ...
in
Singapore
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 Summer Universiade
The 2015 Summer Universiade (), officially known as the XXVIII Summer Universiade () and also known as Gwangju 2015 () was a multi-sport event for student and youth athletes sanctioned by the International University Sports Federation (FISU), hel ...
in
Gwangju
Gwangju (; ), formerly romanized as Kwangju, is South Korea's list of cities in South Korea, sixth-largest metropolis. It is a designated Special cities of South Korea, metropolitan city under the direct control of the central government's Home ...
:
*:
*:
*:
FIBA World Under-19 Championship
Men
*
2015 FIBA Under-19 World Championship
The 2015 FIBA Under-19 World Championship (Greek: Παγκόσμιο Πρωτάθλημα FIBA Under-19 2015) was the 12th edition of the FIBA U19 World Championship, the biennial international men's youth basketball championship contested by t ...
in Greece:
*:
*:
*:
Women
*
2015 FIBA Under-19 World Championship for Women in Russia:
*:
*:
*:
FIBA World Under-17 Championship qualifying
Men
*
2015 FIBA Africa Under-16 Championship at
Mali
Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is the List of African countries by area, eighth-largest country in Africa, with an area of over . The country is bordered to the north by Algeria, to the east b ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship
The 2015 FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship was the men's international basketball competition that was held in Bahia Blanca, Argentina from 10–14 June 2015.
First round
''All times are local ( UTC−3).''
Group A
----
----
----
G ...
at
Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 FIBA Asia Under-16 Championship at
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship
The 2015 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship was the 29th edition of the European Under-16 Basketball Championship. 16 teams participated in the competition, held in Kaunas, Lithuania in two venues ( Arvydas Sabonis Basketball Centre and the legenda ...
at
Lithuania
Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 FIBA Oceania Under-16 Championship at New Zealand:
*:
*:
*:
Women
*
2015 FIBA Africa Under-16 Championship for Women at
Madagascar
Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 FIBA Americas Under-16 Championship for Women at
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 FIBA Asia Under-16 Championship for Women at
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship for Women at
Macedonia
Macedonia (, , , ), most commonly refers to:
* North Macedonia, a country in southeastern Europe, known until 2019 as the Republic of Macedonia
* Macedonia (ancient kingdom), a kingdom in Greek antiquity
* Macedonia (Greece), a former administr ...
:
*:
*:
*:
*
2015 FIBA Oceania Under-16 Championship for Women at New Zealand:
*:
*:
*:
Professional club seasons
FIBA Intercontinental Cup
Continental seasons
Regional seasons
Men
Women
Domestic league seasons
Men
Women
College seasons
Men
Women
Notable events
* January 25 –
Duke
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobi ...
coach
Mike Krzyzewski
Michael William Krzyzewski ( , ; born February 13, 1947), nicknamed "Coach K", is an American former college basketball coach. He served as the head coach at Duke University from 1980–81 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team, 1980 to 2021� ...
becomes the first
NCAA Division I
NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest division of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athlet ...
men's coach with 1,000 career wins, following the
Blue Devils' 77–68 win over
St. John's at
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...
.
* February 3
**
Connecticut
Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
women's coach
Geno Auriemma
Luigi "Geno" Auriemma (born March 23, 1954) is an American basketball coach who is the head coach of the University of Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team. He holds the NCAA basketball records for wins and winning percentage with a mi ...
becomes the fastest coach to 900 wins in college basketball history at any level, following the
Huskies' 96–36
home
A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or more human occupants, and sometimes various companion animals. Homes provide sheltered spaces, for instance rooms, where domestic activity can be p ...
blowout of
Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...
. Auriemma reached 900 wins in 1,034 games; the previous record was 1,072 by
Pat Summitt
Patricia Susan Summitt (; June 14, 1952 – June 28, 2016) was an American women's college basketball head coach and college basketball player. As a coach, she acquired 1,098 career wins, the most in college basketball history at the time ...
, while the record in men's basketball is 1,183 games by Krzyzewski. Auriemma also becomes the first man ever to reach the 900-win mark in NCAA women's basketball; the previous six coaches to do so are all women.
** WNBA star
Diana Taurasi
Diana Lorena Taurasi (born June 11, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) for 20 seasons, spending her entire career with the Phoenix Mercury. Taurasi is widely ...
announces that she will sit out the
2015 season at the behest of her
Russian
Russian(s) may refer to:
*Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*A citizen of Russia
*Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages
*''The Russians'', a b ...
club,
UMMC Ekaterinburg
BC Ekaterinburg () is a Russian professional women's basketball team based in Yekaterinburg competing in the Russian Premier League, and until February 2022 in FIBA Europe's EuroLeague Women. Founded in 1938 as Zenit Sverdlovsk, the club had its ...
. The club, which already has her under contract for about US$1.5 million a season, is reportedly paying her more than the WNBA maximum salary of $107,000 as a bonus to skip the WNBA season.
* February 7 –
Herb Magee, coach at
NCAA Division II
NCAA Division II (D-II) is the intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to both the larger and better-funded Division I and to the scholarship-free environment ...
Philadelphia University
Thomas Jefferson University is a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Established in its earliest form in 1824, the university officially combined with Philadelphia University in 2017. The university is ...
since 1967, becomes the second NCAA men's coach with 1,000 career wins following the Rams' 80–60 win over
Post
Post, POST, or posting may refer to:
Postal services
* Mail, the postal system, especially in Commonwealth of Nations countries
**An Post, the Irish national postal service
**Canada Post, Canadian postal service
**Deutsche Post, German postal s ...
.
Awards and honors
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
* Players:
Louie Dampier
Louis Dampier (born November 20, 1944) is an American former professional basketball player. He played professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and American Basketball Association (ABA), primarily playing with the Kentucky Colo ...
,
Spencer Haywood
Spencer Haywood (born April 22, 1949) is an American former professional basketball player and Olympic gold medalist. Haywood is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, being inducted in 2015.
Early life
Haywood was born on Ap ...
,
John Isaacs,
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie (born July 7, 1972) is an American former professional basketball player. She is formerly the head coach for Triplets (basketball), Triplets in the BIG3 professional basketball league, as well as a studio analyst for Orlando ...
,
Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo (June 25, 1966 – September 30, 2024) was a Congolese-American professional basketball player. He played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "Mount Mutombo ...
,
Jo Jo White
* Coaches:
John Calipari
John Vincent Calipari (; born February 10, 1959) is an American basketball coach who is the head coach at the Arkansas Razorbacks men's basketball, University of Arkansas. He has been named Naismith College Coach of the Year three times (1996, 2 ...
,
Lindsay Gaze
Lindsay John Casson Gaze (born 16 August 1936) is an Australian former basketball player and coach.
He played for Australia in three Summer Olympics qualification tournaments, between 1960 and 1968, and was the head coach of the senior Aust ...
,
Tom Heinsohn
Thomas William Heinsohn (August 26, 1934 – November 9, 2020) was an American professional basketball player, coach, and broadcaster. He was associated with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) for six decades as a pl ...
* Referees:
Dick Bavetta
* Contributors:
George Raveling
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
*
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie (born July 7, 1972) is an American former professional basketball player. She is formerly the head coach for Triplets (basketball), Triplets in the BIG3 professional basketball league, as well as a studio analyst for Orlando ...
*
Janeth Arcain
*
Janet Harris
Janet Harris is a former women's basketball player for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). She is a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame for the class of 2015.
High school
Harris helped lead her Marshall high school team ...
*
Gail Goestenkors
Gail Ann Goestenkors (born February 26, 1963) is an American basketball coach who was most recently an assistant coach for the Kentucky Wildcats women's basketball team.
She is perhaps best known as the women's college basketball head coach of ...
(coach)
*
Brad Smith (coach)
*
Kurt Budke (coach)
FIBA Hall of Fame
* Players:
Anne Donovan
Anne Theresa Donovan (November 1, 1961 – June 13, 2018) was an American women's basketball player and coach. From 2013 to 2015, she was the head coach of the Connecticut Sun.
In her playing career, Donovan won a national championship with Ol ...
,
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player, who is currently a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Ass ...
,
Ruperto Herrera Tabio
Ruperto Nicolás Herrera Tabio (born December 6, 1949, in Havana) is a former basketball player from Cuba. At a height of 2.00 m (6'6 ") tall, and a weight of 95 kg (210 lbs.), he played at the shooting guard and small forward positio ...
,
Šarūnas Marčiulionis
Raimondas Šarūnas Marčiulionis (; born June 13, 1964) is a Lithuanian former professional basketball player. Widely considered one of the greatest international players, he was one of the first Europeans to become a regular in the National ...
,
Antoine Rigaudeau,
Vladimir Tkachenko
* Coaches:
Jan Stirling
* Officials:
Robert Blanchard
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, praise, reno ...
* Contributors:
Noah Klieger
Deaths
*January 4 —
Jack Parr, American NBA player (
Cincinnati Royals
The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The Kings are the ...
) (born 1936)
*January 4 —
Stuart Scott
Stuart Orlando Scott (July 19, 1965 – January 4, 2015) was an American Sports commentator, sportscaster and anchor on ESPN, including on ''SportsCenter''. Known for his hip-hop style and use of catchphrases, Scott was also a regular for the ...
, American NBA television studio host (born 1965)
*January 9 —
Ah Chew Goo, American college coach (
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...
) (born 1918)
*January 9 —
Roy Tarpley, American NBA player (
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...
) (born 1964)
*January 14 —
Bob Boyd, American college coach (
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
,
USC USC may refer to:
Education
United States
* Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, Santurce, Puerto Rico
* University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
** University of South Carolina System, a state university system of South Carolina
* ...
,
Mississippi State
Mississippi State University for Agriculture and Applied Science, commonly known as Mississippi State University (MSU), is a public land-grant research university in Mississippi State, Mississippi, United States. It is classified among "R ...
) (born 1930)
*January 16 —
Ray Lumpp, American NBA player (
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the Na ...
) and
Olympic champion
This article includes lists of all Olympic medalists since 1896, organized by each Olympic sport or discipline, and also by Olympiad.
Medalist with most medals by sport Summer Olympic sports
Sports that will appear in the 2028 Summer Olympics ar ...
(born 1923)
*January 17 —
Roderick McDonald, American ABA player (
Utah Stars
The Utah Stars were an American Basketball Association (ABA) team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Under head coach Bill Sharman the Stars were the first major professional basketball team to use a pre-game shootaround.
History prior to moving to ...
) (born 1945)
*January 18 —
Milt Schoon, American NBL player (
Sheboygan Red Skins
The Sheboygan Red Skins (or Redskins) were a professional basketball team based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, which was an original National Basketball Association franchise during the 1949–50 NBA season, 1949–50 season.
History
Overview
The Re ...
) (born 1922)
*January 27 —
Bob Shea, American
BAA player (
Providence Steamrollers
The Providence Steamrollers were a Basketball Association of America team based in Providence, Rhode Island. As of 2025, the Steamrollers were the last professional sports franchise from one of the Big Four leagues to be based in Rhode Island.
...
) (born 1924)
*January 30 —
Carl Boldt, American college player (
San Francisco
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
) who won an NCAA national championship in 1955–56 (born 1932)
*January 30 —
Ben Schadler, American BAA/
NBL player (born 1924)
*February 1 —
Ron Johnson
Ronald Harold Johnson (born April 8, 1955) is an American businessman and politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from Wisconsin, a seat he has held since 2011. A Rep ...
, American NBA player (
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...
,
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
) (born 1938)
*February 5 —
Don Suman, American college coach (
Rice
Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...
) (born 1920)
*February 6 —
Norm Drucker
Norm Drucker (July 4, 1920 – February 6, 2015) was a major influence in professional basketball officiating for over 35 years. His NBA and ABA officiating career as both a referee and Supervisor of Officials spanned the careers of all-time pro ...
, American NBA and ABA official (born 1920)
*February 7 —
Dean Smith
Dean Edwards Smith (February 28, 1931 – February 7, 2015) was an American men's college basketball Coach (basketball), head coach. Called a "coaching legend" by the Basketball Hall of Fame, he coached for 36 years at the University of North C ...
, American
Hall of Fame
A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
college coach (
North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
) (born 1931)
*February 9 —
Ken Cunningham, American college coach (
Akron
Akron () is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the fifth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 190,469 at the 2020 census. The Akron metropolitan area, covering Summit and Portage counties, had ...
) (born 1943)
*February 10 —
Wayne Dobbs
Wayne Dobbs (June 12, 1939 – February 10, 2015) was an American college basketball and baseball coach. He served as head basketball coach at Belmont University, George Washington University and Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University ( ...
, American college coach (
Belmont,
Vanderbilt) (born 1939)
*February 11 —
Jerry Tarkanian
Jerry Tarkanian (August 8, 1930 – February 11, 2015) was an American basketball coach. He coached college basketball for 31 seasons over five decades at three schools. He spent the majority of his career coaching with the UNLV Runnin' Reb ...
, American Hall of Fame college and NBA coach (
Long Beach State,
UNLV
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is a public land-grant research university in Paradise, Nevada, United States. The campus is about east of the Las Vegas Strip. It was formerly part of the University of Nevada from 1957 to 1969. ...
,
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
,
Fresno State
California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) is a public university in Fresno, California, United States. It is part of the California State University system. The university had a fall 2020 enrollment of 25,341 students. It offers 60 ba ...
) (born 1930)
*February 15 —
Terry Truax, American college coach (
Towson
Towson () is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 59,533 in the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is t ...
) (born 1945)
*February 18 —
Jerome Kersey, American NBA player (
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (N ...
and others) (born 1962)
*February 20 —
Dick Triptow, American NBA player (born 1922)
*February 26 —
Earl Lloyd, American NBA player and coach, first African-American to play in the NBA, Hall of Fame member as a contributor (born 1928)
*February 28 —
Anthony Mason, American NBA player (born 1966)
*March 1 —
Guram Minashvili, Georgian Olympic silver medalist (
1960
It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism.
Events January
* Janu ...
) (born 1935)
*March 1 —
Chris Welp
Christian Ansgar Welp (January 2, 1964 – March 1, 2015) was a German professional basketball player. During his playing career, he was a , center. He played three seasons in the NBA. He was the MVP of the 1993 EuroBasket.
College career
Wel ...
, German NBA and
Euroleague
The EuroLeague is a European men's professional basketball club competition. The league is widely recognised as the top-tier and the most prestigious men's basketball league in Europe. The league consists of 20 teams, of which 16 are given lon ...
player (born 1964)
*March 4 —
Stacey Arceneaux, American NBA player (
St. Louis Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at S ...
) (born 1936)
*March 6 —
Enrique "Coco" Vicéns, Puerto Rican player (born 1926)
*March 16 —
Chet Giermak, All-American college player (
William & Mary) (born 1928)
*March 16 —
Jack Haley
John Joseph Haley Jr. (August 10, 1898 – June 6, 1979) was an American actor, comedian, dancer, radio host, singer, drummer and vaudevillian. He was best known for his portrayal of the Tin Man and his farmhand counterpart Hickory in the 193 ...
, American NBA player (born 1964)
*March 21 —
Warren Womble, American
AAU and Olympic coach (
1952
Events January–February
* January 26 – Cairo Fire, Black Saturday in Kingdom of Egypt, Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses.
* February 6
** Princess Elizabeth, ...
) (born 1920)
*March 23 —
Bobby Lowther, American NBL player (
Tri-Cities Blackhawks Tri-Cities most often refers to:
*Tri-Cities, Tennessee, United States
*Tri-Cities, Washington, United States
Tri-City, Tricity or Tri-Cities may also refer to:
Populated places
Americas
Canada
* Tri-Cities (British Columbia), consisting of C ...
,
Waterloo Hawks
The Waterloo Hawks were a National Basketball League and National Basketball Association team based in Waterloo, Iowa. The Hawks remain the only sports franchise ever based in Iowa from any of the current Big Four Leagues. They are not affili ...
) (born 1923)
*March 25 —
Loy Young, American college coach (
Chadron State) (born 1923)
*March 27 —
Hot Rod Hundley, American NBA player (
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
) and announcer (born 1934)
*April 7 —
Torrey Ward, American player and coach (born 1978)
*April 10 —
Lauren Hill, American college basketball player and pediatric cancer advocate who died of brain cancer during her freshman season at
Mount St. Joseph (born 1995)
*April 11 —
Charlie Beasley, American ABA player (
Dallas Chaparrals
The Dallas Chaparrals were a charter member of the American Basketball Association (ABA). The team moved to San Antonio, Texas, for the 1973–74 season and were renamed the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs joined the National Basketball Association ...
,
Miami Floridians
The Miami Floridians, later in their history known simply as The Floridians, were a professional basketball franchise in the original, now-defunct American Basketball Association. The Miami Floridians played in the ABA from 1968 through 1970 when ...
) (born 1945)
*April 13 —
Gerald Calabrese, American NBA player (
Syracuse Nationals
The Philadelphia 76ers are an American basketball team currently playing in the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The 76ers are third in NBA ...
) (born 1925)
*April 25 —
Mike Phillips, American Liga ACB player (
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona (), commonly known as FC Barcelona and colloquially as Barça (), is a professional Football club (association football), football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of ...
) and college national champion (
1978 Kentucky) (born 1956)
*May 10 —
Davey Whitney, American
Hall of Fame
A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
college coach (
Texas Southern,
Alcorn State
Alcorn State University (Alcorn State, ASU or Alcorn) is a public historically black land-grant university adjacent to Lorman, Mississippi. It was founded in 1871 and was the first black land grant college established in the United States. T ...
) (born 1930)
*May 11 —
Bob Light, American college coach (
Appalachian State) (born 1927)
*May 12 —
Bill Guthridge
William Wallace Guthridge (July 27, 1937 – May 12, 2015) was an American college basketball coach. Guthridge initially gained recognition after serving for thirty years as Dean Smith's assistant at the University of North Carolina and summin ...
, American college coach (
North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
) (born 1937)
*May 15 —
Bob Hopkins, American NBA player (
Syracuse Nationals
The Philadelphia 76ers are an American basketball team currently playing in the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The 76ers are third in NBA ...
) and coach (
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics (commonly shortened to Sonics) were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The SuperSonics competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Division (1967–1970), and ...
) (born 1934)
*May 22 —
Marques Haynes
Marques Haynes (March 10, 1926 – May 22, 2015) was an American professional basketball player and member of the Harlem Globetrotters, notable for his ability to dribble the ball and keep it away from defenders. According to the 1988 film ''Harl ...
, American Hall of Fame
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters is an American Exhibition game, exhibition basketball team. They combine athleticism, theater, entertainment, and comedy in their style of play. Over the years, they have played more than 26,000 exhibition games in 124 ...
player (born 1926)
*May 23 —
Boody Gilbertson, American NBL player (
Sheboygan Red Skins
The Sheboygan Red Skins (or Redskins) were a professional basketball team based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, which was an original National Basketball Association franchise during the 1949–50 NBA season, 1949–50 season.
History
Overview
The Re ...
) (born 1922)
*May 23 —
Andres Ortiz, Puerto Rican player (
Indios de Mayagüez
The Indios de Mayagüez (Mayagüez Indians) are a baseball team in Puerto Rico's Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League, in Spanish). Based in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, the ''Indios' ...
)
*May 26 —
Walter Byers
Walter Byers (March 13, 1922 – May 26, 2015) was an American sports executive and sportswriter. He was the first executive director of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Early life
Byers was born in Kansas City. He graduated f ...
, Executive Director of the
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
, College Basketball Hall of Fame inductee (born 1922)
*May 27 —
Vittorio Paolo Fiorito, Italian referee (born 1941)
*May 27 —
Bill Foster, American college coach (
Miami
Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
,
Virginia Tech
The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, commonly referred to as Virginia Tech (VT), is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States ...
,
Clemson) (born 1936)
*June 3 —
Bevo Francis
Clarence "Bevo" Francis (September 4, 1932 – June 3, 2015) was an American basketball player. Born on his family's farm in Hammondsville, Ohio, he became one of the most prolific scorers in college basketball history during his career at Rio G ...
, American college player (
Rio Grande College) (born 1932)
*June 14 —
Bob Bedell, American ABA player (
Anaheim Amigos
The Anaheim Amigos were a charter member American Basketball Association (ABA) team based in Southern California. They were the first professional sports team to identify with the city of Anaheim, California. After their first season in Anaheim, ...
,
Dallas Chaparrals
The Dallas Chaparrals were a charter member of the American Basketball Association (ABA). The team moved to San Antonio, Texas, for the 1973–74 season and were renamed the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs joined the National Basketball Association ...
) (born 1944)
*June 23 —
Harvey Pollack, Director of Statistical Information for the Philadelphia 76ers (born 1922)
*June 29 — Jackson Vroman, American-born Lebanese NBA player (Phoenix Suns, New Orleans Hornets) (born 1981)
*July 20 — George Bon Salle, American NBA player (Chicago Packers) (born 1935)
*July 25 — Bob Kauffman, American NBA player (born 1946)
*July 30 — John Weinert, American college coach (Bowling Green Falcons men's basketball, Bowling Green) (born 1931)
*August 3 — Frank Kerns, American college coach (Georgia Southern Eagles men's basketball, Georgia Southern) (born 1933)
*August 4 — John Rudometkin, American NBA player (New York Knicks, San Francisco Warriors) (born 1940)
*August 10 — Cleo Hill, American NBA player (
St. Louis Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at S ...
) (born 1938)
*August 22 — Lou Tsioropoulos, American NBA player (Boston Celtics) (born 1930)
*August 24 — Bevo Nordmann, American NBA player (
Cincinnati Royals
The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The Kings are the ...
, St. Louis Hawks, New York Knicks) (born 1939)
*August 27 — Darryl Dawkins, American NBA player (Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets) (born 1957)
*September 11 — Roy Marble, American NBA player (Atlanta Hawks, Denver Nuggets) (born 1966)
*September 13 — Moses Malone, American Hall of Fame ABA and NBA player (born 1955)
*September 21 — Ivan Dvorny, Russian/Soviet Olympic Gold medalist (Basketball at the 1972 Summer Olympics, 1972) (born 1952)
*September 25 — Bill Bridges (basketball), Bill Bridges, American NBA player (Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors) (born 1939)
*September 25 — Tommie Green, American NBA player (New Orleans Jazz (NBA team), New Orleans Jazz) and college coach (Southern Jaguars basketball, Southern) (born 1956)
*October 4 — Neal Walk, American NBA player (Phoenix Suns, New Orleans Jazz, New York Knicks) (born 1948)
*October 7 — Harry Gallatin, American Hall of Fame NBA player and coach (born 1927)
*October 9 — Dave Meyers (basketball), Dave Meyers, American NBA player (Milwaukee Bucks) and college All-American (UCLA Bruins men's basketball, UCLA) (born 1953)
*October 15 — Nate Huffman, American NBA (Toronto Raptors) and Euroleague (Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C., Maccabi Tel Aviv) player (born 1975)
*October 18 — Tommy O'Keefe, American NBA player (Washington Capitols, Baltimore Bullets (1944–54), Baltimore Bullets) (born 1928)
*October 19 — D. C. Wilcutt, American NBA player (St. Louis Bombers (NBA), St. Louis Bombers) (born 1923)
*October 20 — Makis Dendrinos, Greek player (Panionios B.C., Panionios) and coach (born 1950)
*October 25 — Flip Saunders, American NBA coach (Minnesota Timberwolves,
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...
, Washington Wizards) (born 1955)
*October 26 — Zeke Hogeland, American college coach (Bemidji State Beavers men's basketball, Bemidji State, Northern Iowa Panthers men's basketball, Northern Iowa) (born 1925)
*October 29 — Luther Burden, American ABA and NBA player (Virginia Squires, New York Knicks) (born 1953)
*October 29 — Boris Kristančič, Slovenian/Yugoslav Olympic player (born 1932)
*October 29 — Ranko Žeravica, Serbian coach (KK Partizan, Partizan) (born 1929)
*October 30 — Mel Daniels, American Hall of Fame ABA player (Indiana Pacers) (born 1944)
*November 10 — Michael Wright (basketball), Michael Wright, American-born Turkish player (born 1980)
*November 11 — Scotty Stirling, American ABA and NBA executive
*November 14 — Norm Ellenberger, American college coach (New Mexico Lobos men's basketball, New Mexico)
*November 26 — Guy Lewis, American Hall of Fame college coach (Houston Cougars men's basketball, Houston Cougars) (born 1922)
*November 26 — Bill Stauffer, American college player (Missouri Tigers men's basketball, Missouri Tigers) (born 1930)
*December 1 — Jim Loscutoff, American NBA player (Boston Celtics) (born 1930)
*December 5 — Dave Scholz, American NBA player (Philadelphia 76ers) (born 1948)
*December 10 — Dolph Schayes, American Hall of Fame NBA player (
Syracuse Nationals
The Philadelphia 76ers are an American basketball team currently playing in the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The 76ers are third in NBA ...
) (born 1928)
*December 11 — John "Hot Rod" Williams, American NBA player (Cleveland Cavaliers, Phoenix Suns,
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...
) (born 1962)
*December 16 — John Bates (basketball), John Bates, American college coach (Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks men's basketball, Maryland Eastern Shore, Coppin State Eagles men's basketball, Coppin State) (born 1938)
*December 21 — Lim Eng Beng, Filipino basketball player (born 1951)
*December 23 — Chen Luyun, Chinese basketball player (born 1977)
*December 24 — Ron Jacobs (basketball), Ron Jacobs, American college (Loyola Marymount Lions men's basketball, Loyola Marymount) and professional (Northern Cement basketball team, Northern Cement) coach (born 1942)
*December 26 — Mac Otten, American NBA player (
Tri-Cities Blackhawks Tri-Cities most often refers to:
*Tri-Cities, Tennessee, United States
*Tri-Cities, Washington, United States
Tri-City, Tricity or Tri-Cities may also refer to:
Populated places
Americas
Canada
* Tri-Cities (British Columbia), consisting of C ...
, St. Louis Bombers (NBA), St. Louis Bombers) (born 1925)
*December 27 — Meadowlark Lemon, American Hall of Fame player (Harlem Globetrotters) (born 1932)
*December 28 — Dave Campbell (basketball), Dave Campbell, Canadian Olympic player (Basketball at the 1948 Summer Olympics, 1948) (born 1925)
See also
* Timeline of women's basketball
References
{{reflist
2015 in basketball,