The following are the basketball events of the year 1981 throughout the world.

Years in basketball
2020s 2023 2022 2021 2020
2010s 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010
2000s 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000
1990s 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990
1980s 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980
1970s 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970
1960s 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960
1950s 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950
1940s 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940
1930s 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930
1920s 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920
1910s 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913 1912 1911 1910
1900s 1909 1908 1907 1906 1905 1904 1903 1902 1901 1900
1890s 1899 1898 1897 1896 1895 1894 1893 1892 1891
See also
Current basketball seasons 1981 in basketball 1981 in sports
v t e

Basketball competitions taking place in 1981

Winners of major team competitions 1980–1981

Player awards (NBA)

January 1 — Matt Vaniel, American professional player (born 1919)
January 5 — Joe Dolhon, American professional player (born 1927)
January 9 — Tommy Byrnes, American professional player (born 1923)
January 10 — Chink Crossin, American professional player (born 1923)
January 22 — Russ Wilkins, American professional player (born 1923)
January 31 — Dick Edwards, American college coach (born 1930)
February 7 — Connie Kunzmann, American professional player (born 1956)
February 26 — Bud Lindberg, American professional player (born 1909)
April 3 — Willis Young, American professional player (born 1911)
June 7 — Ian Watson, Australian Olympic player (born 1949)
June 20 — Rock Norman, American college coach (born 1892)
June 23 — Lou Spicer, American professional player (born 1922)
July 3 — Artūras Andrulis, Lithuanian national team player (born 1922)
July 25 — Bobby Anet, college All-American and national champion (Oregon) (born 1917)
August 6 — Jack Harvey, college All-American and AAU player (born 1918)
September 4 — Carl Knowles, American Olympic gold medalist (1936) (born 1910)
September 10 — John Lance, American college coach (born 1897)
September 16 — John Azary, American college and professional player (born 1929)
November 8 — George Nostrand, American professional player (born 1924)