The following are the basketball events of the year 2011 throughout the world.

Tournaments include international (FIBA), professional (club) and amateur and collegiate levels.

Tournaments

Men's tournaments

Olympic qualifiers

• 2011 FIBA Africa Championship – Antananarivo, Madagascar
  •  Tunisia
  •  Angola
  •  Nigeria
  • 4th  Ivory Coast
• 2011 FIBA Americas Championship – Mar del Plata, Argentina.
  •  Argentina
  •  Brazil
  •  Dominican Republic
  • 4th  Puerto Rico
• 2011 FIBA Oceania Championship – Australia
  •  Australia
  •  New Zealand
• EuroBasket 2011 – Lithuania
  •  Spain
  •  France
  •  Russia
  • 4th  North Macedonia
• 2011 FIBA Asia Championship – Wuhan, China
  •  China
  •  Jordan
  •  South Korea
  • 4th  Philippines

Women's tournaments

Olympic qualifiers

• 2011 FIBA Africa Championship for Women – Bamako, Mali
  •  Angola
  •  Senegal
  •  Mali
  • 4th  Nigeria
• 2011 FIBA Americas Championship for Women – Neiva, Colombia.
  •  Brazil
  •  Argentina
  •  Canada
  • 4th  Cuba
• 2011 FIBA Asia Championship for Women – Ōmura, Nagasaki, Japan
  •  China
  •  South Korea
  •  Japan
  • 4th  Chinese Taipei
• EuroBasket Women 2011 – Poland
  •  Russia
  •  Turkey
  •  France
  • 4th  Czech Republic
• 2011 FIBA Oceania Championship for Women – Australia
  •  Australia
  •  New Zealand

Youth tournaments

• 2011 FIBA Under-19 World Championship – Latvia
  •  Lithuania
  •  Serbia
  •  Russia
  • 4th  Argentina
• 2011 FIBA Under-19 World Championship for Women – Chile
  •  United States
  •  Spain
  •  Brazil
  • 4th  Australia

Club championships

Continental championships

Men:

• Euroleague:
  • Panathinaikos Maccabi Tel Aviv Montepaschi Siena
• Eurocup:
  • UNICS Kazan Cajasol Cedevita Zagreb
• EuroChallenge:
  • Krka Novo Mesto Lokomotiv–Kuban Krasnodar Telenet Oostende
• Asia Champions Cup:
  • Al-Riyadi Beirut Mahram Tehran Al-Rayyan
• Americas League:
  • Regatas Corrientes Capitanes de Arecibo Halcones UV Xalapa

Women:

• EuroLeague Women:
  • Halcón Avenida Salamanca Spartak Moscow Region UMMC Ekaterinburg

Transnational championships

• NBA
  • Season:
    • Division champions: Boston Celtics (Atlantic), Chicago Bulls (Central), Miami Heat (Southeast), Oklahoma City Thunder (Northwest), Los Angeles Lakers (Pacific), San Antonio Spurs (Southwest)
    • Best regular-season record: Chicago Bulls (62–20)
    • Eastern Conference: Miami Heat
    • Western Conference: Dallas Mavericks
  • Finals: The Mavericks win their first NBA title, defeating the Heat 4–2 in the best-of-7 series. The Mavs' Dirk Nowitzki is named Finals MVP.
• National Basketball League, 2010–11 season:
  • Premiers: New Zealand Breakers
  • Champions: The Breakers defeat the Cairns Taipans 2–1 in the best-of-three Grand Final, becoming the first New Zealand team to win an Australian national league title in any sport.
• Adriatic League, 2010–11 season: Partizan Belgrade defeat Union Olimpija Ljubljana 77–74 in the one-off final.
• ASEAN Basketball League, 2010–11 season: Chang Thailand Slammers defeat Philippine Patriots 2–0 in the best-of-three finals.
• Baltic League: Žalgiris Kaunas defeat VEF Riga 75–67 in the one-off final.
• VTB United League, 2010–11 season: BC Khimki defeat CSKA Moscow 66–64 in the one-off final.

National championships

Men:

• Liga Nacional de Básquet, 2010–11 season: Guangdong Southern Tigers
  • Regular season: Obras Sanitarias
  • Playoffs: Peñarol defeat Atenas 4–1 in the best-of-seven final.
• Basketball League Belgium: Spirou Charleroi sweep Okapi Aalstar 3–0 in the best-of-5 finals.
• Bosnia and Herzegovina Championship:
• Novo Basquete Brasil: UniCEUB/BRB Brasília defeat Franca 3–1 in the best-of-5 finals.
• Bulgarian National League: Lukoil Academic complete a 36–0 season in domestic play with a 3–0 sweep of Levski Sofia in the best-of-5 finals.
• Chinese Basketball Association: 2010–11 season: Guangdong Southern Tigers defeat Xinjiang Flying Tigers 4–2 in the best-of-seven finals.
• Croatian League: KK Zagreb sweep Cedevita Zagreb 3–0 in the best-of-5 finals.
• Czech League: ČEZ Nymburk defeat Prostějov 4–2 in the best-of-7 finals.
• Dutch Basketball League: ZZ Leiden defeat GasTerra Flames 4–3 in the best-of-7 finals.
• Estonian League, 2010–11: Kalev/Cramo sweep TÜ/Rock 4–0 in the best-of-7 final.
• French Pro A League: Nancy defeat Cholet 76–74 in the one-off final.
• German Bundesliga, 2010–11 season: Brose Baskets defeat ALBA Berlin 3–2 in the best-of-5 finals.
• Greek League, 2010–11 season: Panathinaikos defeat Olympiacos 3–1 in the best-of-5 finals. Before the finals, Olympiacos had gone 36–0 in domestic competition this season.
• Iranian Super League, 2010–11 season:
• Israeli Super League, 2010–11 season: Maccabi Tel Aviv defeat Hapoel Gilboa Galil 91–64 in the one-off final.
• Italian Serie A, 2010–11 season: Montepaschi Siena defeat Bennet Cantù 4–1 in the best-of-7 finals.
• Latvian League: VEF Riga defeat Ventspils 4–3 in the best-of-7 finals.
• Lithuanian LKL: Žalgiris defeat Lietuvos Rytas 4–1 in the best-of-7 finals.
• Montenegro League:
• Philippine Basketball Association, 2010–11 season:
  • Philippine Cup: The Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters defeat the San Miguel Beermen 4–2 in the best-of-7 finals.
  • Commissioner's Cup: The Texters win their second trophy of the season, defeating the Barangay Ginebra Kings 4–2 in the best-of-7 finals.
  • Governors Cup: The Petron Blaze Boosters deny the Texters a Grand Slam, defeating them 4–3 in the best-of-7 finals.
• Polish League: Asseco Prokom Gdynia defeat Turów Zgorzelec 4–3 in the best-of-7 finals.
• Russian PBL: CSKA Moscow defeat Khimki 3–1 in the best-of-5 finals.
• League of Serbia, 2010–11 season: Partizan sweep Hemofarm 3–0 in the best-of-5 finals.
• Slovenian League:
• Spanish ACB:
  • Season: Regal FC Barcelona
  • Playoffs: Barça sweep Bizkaia Bilbao 3–0 in the best-of-5 finals.
• Turkish Basketball League: Fenerbahçe Ülker defeat Galatasaray Café Crown 4–2 in the best-of-7 finals.
• Ukrainian SuperLeague: Budivelnyk defeat Donetsk 4–3 in the best-of-7 finals.
• British Basketball League, 2010–11:
  • Season: Mersey Tigers
  • Playoffs: The Tigers defeat the Sheffield Sharks 79–74 in the one-off final.
• Super Basketball League:Taiwan Beer defeat Dacin Tigers 4–1 in the best-of-7 finals.

Women:

• WNBA
  • Season:
    • Eastern Conference: Indiana Fever
    • Western Conference: Minnesota Lynx
  • Finals: The Lynx win their first WNBA title, sweeping the Fever 3–0 in the best-of-5 series. The Lynx' Seimone Augustus is named Finals MVP.

College

Men

• NCAA
  • Division I: Connecticut 53, Butler 41
    • Most Outstanding Player: Kemba Walker, Connecticut
  • National Invitation Tournament: Wichita State 66, Alabama 57
  • College Basketball Invitational: Oregon defeated Creighton 2–1 in the best-of-3 final.
  • CollegeInsider.com Tournament: Santa Clara 76, Iona 69
  • Division II: Bellarmine 71, BYU–Hawaiʻi 68
  • Division III: St. Thomas (MN) 78, Wooster 54
• NAIA
  • NAIA Division I: Pikeville 83, Mountain State 76 (OT)
  • NAIA Division II: Cornerstone 80, Saint Francis (IN) 71
• NJCAA
  • Division I:
  • Division II: Lincoln College (Lincoln, Illinois)74, Mott Community College (Flint, Michigan) 67 [1]
  • Division III:
• UAAP Men's: Ateneo defeated FEU 2–0 in the best-of-3 finals
• NCAA (Philippines) Seniors': San Beda defeated San Sebastian 2–0 in the best-of-3 finals

Women

• NCAA
  • Division I: Texas A&M 76, Notre Dame 70
    • Most Outstanding Player: Danielle Adams, Texas A&M
  • WNIT: Toledo 76, USC 68
  • Women's Basketball Invitational: UAB 68, Cal State Bakersfield 60
  • Division II: Clayton State 69, Michigan Tech 50
  • Division III: Amherst 64, Washington (MO) 55
• NAIA
  • NAIA Division I:
  • NAIA Division II:
• NJCAA^[1]
  • Division I:North Idaho College 90, Trinity Valley Community College 81
  • Division II:Monroe College 78, Lake Michigan College 73
  • Division III:Anoka-Ramsey Community College 60, Roxbury Community College 55
• UAAP Women's: FEU defeated Adamson Falcons 2–1 in the best-of-3 finals

Prep

• USA Today Boys Basketball Ranking #1: St. Anthony High School (New Jersey)
• USA Today Girls Basketball Ranking #1:
• NCAA (Philippines) Juniors: San Beda defeated LSGH 2–1 in the best-of-5 finals, with San Beda having a 1–0 advantage
• UAAP Juniors: NU defeated FEU-FERN 2–1 in the best-of-3 finals

Awards and honors

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

• Class of 2011:^[2]
  • Players: Teresa Edwards, Artis Gilmore, Chris Mullin, Dennis Rodman, Arvydas Sabonis, Reece "Goose" Tatum
  • Coaches: Herb Magee, Tara VanDerveer, Tex Winter
  • Contributors: Tom "Satch" Sanders

Women's Basketball Hall of Fame

• Class of 2011^[3]
  • Val Ackerman
  • Ruthie Bolton
  • Vicky Bullett
  • Muffet McGraw
  • Pearl Moore
  • Lometa Odom

Professional

• Men
  • NBA Most Valuable Player Award: Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls
  • NBA Rookie of the Year Award: Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers
  • NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic
  • NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award: Lamar Odom, Los Angeles Lakers
  • NBA Most Improved Player Award: Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves
  • NBA Sportsmanship Award: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
  • NBA Coach of the Year Award: Tom Thibodeau, Chicago Bulls
  • J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award: Ron Artest, Los Angeles Lakers
  • NBA Executive of the Year Award: Gar Forman, Chicago Bulls and Pat Riley, Miami Heat
  • FIBA Europe Player of the Year Award: Dirk Nowitzki,  Germany and Dallas Mavericks
  • Euroscar Award: Dirk Nowitzki,  Germany and Dallas Mavericks
  • Mr. Europa:
• Women
  • WNBA Most Valuable Player Award: Tamika Catchings, Indiana Fever
  • WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award: Sylvia Fowles, Chicago Sky
  • WNBA Rookie of the Year Award: Maya Moore, Minnesota Lynx
  • WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year Award: DeWanna Bonner, Phoenix Mercury
  • WNBA Most Improved Player Award: Kia Vaughn, New York Liberty
  • Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award: Sue Bird, Seattle Storm and Ruth Riley, San Antonio Silver Stars
  • WNBA Coach of the Year Award: Cheryl Reeve, Minnesota Lynx
  • WNBA All-Star Game MVP: Swin Cash, Seattle Storm
  • WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award: Seimone Augustus, Minnesota Lynx
  • FIBA Europe Player of the Year Award: Alba Torrens,  Spain, Perfumerías Avenida, and Galatasaray Medical Park

Collegiate

• Combined
  • Legends of Coaching Award: Tom Izzo, Michigan State
• Men
  • John R. Wooden Award: Jimmer Fredette, BYU
  • Naismith College Coach of the Year: Steve Fisher, San Diego State
  • Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Jacob Pullen, Kansas State
  • Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year: Jimmer Fredette, BYU
  • NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player: Anthony Davis, Kentucky
  • USBWA National Freshman of the Year: Jared Sullinger, Ohio State
  • Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Mike Brey, Notre Dame
  • Naismith Outstanding Contribution to Basketball: Dick Enberg
• Women
  • John R. Wooden Award: Maya Moore, Connecticut
  • Naismith College Player of the Year: Maya Moore, Connecticut
  • Naismith College Coach of the Year: Tara VanDerveer, Stanford
  • Wade Trophy: Maya Moore, Connecticut
  • Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: Courtney Vandersloot, Gonzaga
  • Associated Press Women's College Basketball Player of the Year: Maya Moore, Connecticut
  • NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player: Danielle Adams, Texas A&M
  • Basketball Academic All-America Team: Maya Moore, UConn
  • Kay Yow Award: Matt Bollant, Green Bay
  • Carol Eckman Award: Joanne Boyle, California
  • Maggie Dixon Award: Stephanie Glance, Illinois State
  • USBWA National Freshman of the Year: Odyssey Sims, Baylor
  • Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Geno Auriemma, Connecticut
  • Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Katie Meier, Miami (FL)
  • Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year: Tara VanDerveer, Stanford
  • List of Senior CLASS Award women's basketball winners: Maya Moore, Connecticut
  • Nancy Lieberman Award: Courtney Vandersloot, Gonzaga
  • Naismith Outstanding Contribution to Basketball: Cheryl Miller

Events

• On June 1, Shaquille O'Neal announced his retirement from basketball after 19 seasons and four world championships. O'Neal made the announcement on his Twitter page.^[4]
• On July 1, the collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and its players union expires, and the league immediately imposes a lockout of its players.
• On July 20, Yao Ming officially announced his retirement from basketball after nine seasons and a series of foot and ankle injuries. Yao has been credited with fueling greatly increased interest in the NBA in his home country of China since his selection as the #1 overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft.^[5]
• On September 26, New Jersey Nets minority owner Jay-Z announced that the team would change its name to the Brooklyn Nets when it moves to its new arena for the 2012–13 season.^[6]

Movies

• The Fab Five – an ESPN Films documentary about the 1990s Michigan Wolverines players known collectively as the Fab Five: Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson
• Off the Rez – a TLC documentary chronicling the high school career of current University of Louisville women's player Shoni Schimmel, a Native American who grew up on an Oregon reservation
• Runnin' Rebels of UNLV – a Home Box Office documentary chronicling the UNLV men's team's success in the late 1980s through early 1990s
• Salaam Dunk
• Unguarded – an ESPN Films documentary about former NBA player Chris Herren, including his struggle with and ongoing recovery from drug addiction

Deaths

• January 12 — Howard Engleman, All-American player and interim head coach for the Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team (born 1919)
• January 16 — Guðmundur Þorsteinsson, Icelandic national team player and coach (born 1942)
• February 2 — Roger Strickland, NBA player (Baltimore Bullets) (born 1940)
• February 4 — Lee Winfield, NBA player (Seattle SuperSonics, Buffalo Braves, Kansas City Kings) (born 1947)
• February 6 — Cesare Rubini, Italian coach and member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (born 1923)
• February 20 — Troy Jackson, better known by his nickname "Escalade", streetball player for the AND1 Mixtape Tour (born 1976)
• March 4 — Ed Manning, NBA and ABA player and father of 1988 #1 overall NBA Draft pick Danny Manning (born 1943)
• March 7 — Rudy Salud, former commissioner of the Philippine Basketball Association (born 1938)
• March 22 — Edgar Lacey, ABA player (Los Angeles Stars) and national champion at UCLA (born 1944)
• April 2 — Larry Finch, college coach and player (Memphis) (born 1951)
• April 10 — Bob Shaw, American NBL player (born 1921)
• April 14 — Joe Dan Gold, college player and coach (Mississippi State) (born 1942)
• April 15 — Beryl Shipley, college coach (Southwestern Louisiana) (born 1926)
• May 11 — Robert Traylor, NBL and NBA player (Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Charlotte Hornets) (born 1977)
• May 27 — Margo Dydek, Polish WNBA player (Utah Starzz, San Antonio Silver Stars, Connecticut Sun, Los Angeles Sparks) (born 1974)
• June 6 — Bill Closs, NBA player (Philadelphia Warriors, Fort Wayne Pistons) (born 1922)
• June 9 — Mike Mitchell, NBA player (Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs) (born 1956)
• June 15 — Marshall Rogers, NBA player (Golden State Warriors) and the 1976 NCAA Division I season scoring leader (born 1953)
• June 27 — Lorenzo Charles, NBA player (Atlanta Hawks) famous for hitting the game-winning shot of the 1983 NCAA tournament for NC State (born 1963)
• July 1 — Bob McCann, NBA player (five teams) (born 1964)
• July 5 — Neil Dougherty, college coach (TCU) (born 1961)
• July 5 — Armen Gilliam, NBA player (six teams) (born 1964)
• July 9 — Don Ackerman, NBA player (New York Knicks) (born 1930)
• July 16 — Joe McNamee, NBA player (Rochester Royals, Baltimore Bullets) (born 1926)
• July 30 — Bob Peterson, NBA player (Baltimore Bullets, Milwaukee Hawks, New York Knicks) (born 1932)
• August 3 — Ray Patterson, NBA executive (Milwaukee Bucks, Houston Rockets)
• August 4 — Sherman White, college player at Long Island famous for being indicted in point shaving scandal (born 1928)
• August 8 — Mike Barrett, ABA player and Olympic gold medalist in 1968 (born 1943)
• August 18 — Scotty Robertson, NBA and college coach (born 1930)
• August 27 — Bob Hubbard, American NBL and BAA player (born 1922)
• August 31 — Cal Christensen, NBA player (Milwaukee Hawks, Cincinnati Royals) (born 1927)
• August 31 — Jack Stephens, NBA player (St. Louis Hawks) (born 1933)
• September 14 — Lewis Brown, NBA player (Washington Bullets) (born 1955)
• September 16 — Dave Gavitt, American basketball coach (Providence College) and founder of the Big East Conference; member of the Naismith Hall as a contributor (born 1937)
• September 17 — Fedon Matheou, Greek basketball player and coach (born 1924)
• September 21 — Mickey Rottner, American NBL (Sheboygan Red Skins) and BAA (Chicago Stags) player (born 1919)
• September 22 — John H. Dick, starter on first NCAA championship team (1939 Oregon Ducks) (born 1918)
• September 30 — Peter Gent, standout forward/center for Michigan State from 1962 to 1964 and author of North Dallas Forty (born 1942)
• October 3 — Jim Neal, NBA player (Syracuse Nationals) (born 1930)
• October 9 — Antonis Christeas, Greek basketball player (Panellinios, AEK Athens) (born 1937)
• October 9 — Chauncey Hardy, 23-year-old American playing professionally in Romania (born 1988)
• October 12 — Lewis Mills, college coach (Richmond) and athletic director
• November 2 — Ilmar Kullam, Olympic silver medalist for the Soviet Union in 1952 (born 1922)
• November 8 — Ed Macauley, Hall of Fame player (St. Louis Hawks) (born 1928)
• November 9 — Bob Carney, NBA player (Minneapolis Lakers) (born 1932)
• November 17 — Kurt Budke, women's college basketball coach (Oklahoma State) (born 1961)
• November 18 — Walt Hazzard, NBA player and college coach (UCLA) (born 1942)
• November 22 — Alberto Reynoso, Philippine Basketball Association player (born 1940)
• November 25 — Hoddy Mahon, College basketball coach (Seton Hall)
• November 30 — George McCarty, College coach (New Mexico State, UTEP) (born 1915)
• December 1 — Dick Wehr, BAA player (Indianapolis Jets) and college coach (Georgia State) (born 1925)