Basketball

In the 1990s interest in basketball at all levels continued to grow. The most important figure in this growth was guard Michael Jordan, who is considered by many to be the greatest player ever. Jordan's exceptional basketball skills and flair for entertainment helped keep basketball in the forefront of American culture as he led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships (1991-1993, 1996-1998) and led the league in scoring a record ten times. Other great players of the 1990s and early 2000s included Hakeem Olajuwon, Scottie Pippen, Charles Barkley, David Robinson, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Jason Kidd, Dwyane Wade, and LeBron James. Star players of the women’s professional leagues included Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, Chamique Holdsclaw, Teresa Edwards, Lisa Leslie, Lauren Jackson, Diana Taurasi, and Katie Smith.

Beginning in the late 1980s, it became increasingly common for the best male collegiate players to leave college before graduating, as they chose to enter the NBA draft. By the mid-1990s the best high school players were foregoing college completely and moving straight into the professional ranks. The NBA, while affording young players this opportunity, has tried to curtail this practice. In 1995 the league enacted a limit on the amount of money a rookie could earn, called a rookie salary cap, hoping to discourage players from leaving school early.

Following the 1997-98 season NBA owners and players could not agree on rules regarding a salary cap and several other issues, and the NBA owners instituted a player lockout. The dispute cancelled all league play until an agreement was reached in January 1999, resulting in a strike-shortened, 50-game season followed by a regular playoff schedule and championship series. The San Antonio Spurs, led by Robinson and Duncan, won the NBA title that year.

The Los Angeles Lakers, featuring Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, won the league titles in 2000, 2001, and 2002. The three titles came under coach Phil Jackson, who also led the Bulls to their six championships in the 1990s. Behind Duncan and guard Tony Parker, the Spurs added titles in 2003, 2005, and 2007. The legendary Boston Celtics franchise won the NBA championship in 2008, returning to the NBA finals for the first time in more than 20 years after being a dominant team for most of its history. The Celtics trio of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce proved to be a formidable combination.