Prior to the start of the season, NBA legend Michael Jordan, then part-owner of the Washington Wizards, announced his second comeback to the NBA, this time with the Wizards.
This was the last season that both NBC and TBS televise NBA games.
NBA teams wore patches on their jerseys with the American flag and ribbon, in honor of the victims of the September 11 attacks. The Raptors wore the American and Canadian flags on theirs.
The Toronto Raptors, after losing 17 of 18 to drop to 30-38, win 12 of their last 14 to finish at 42-40 and go to the NBA playoffs with the seventh seed in the East.
The New Jersey Nets, who had never won 50 games in a season and had only been to the second round of the playoffs once, won 52 games and go to their first NBA Finals.
With the Nets appearing in the Finals, the Denver Nuggets are now the only former ABA team to not reach the Finals.
Former All-Star Jayson Williams was charged with the murder of his limo driver on February 14th, 2002. He was immediately fired from his spot on NBC's Verizon Wireless at the Half shortly after appearing on TV during the All-Star Game the previous week.
Marv Albert and Mike Fratello were involved in a limo crash prior to the start of the 2002 Playoffs and were unable to announce for NBC. Marv returned to announce the 2002 Western Conference Finals and NBA Finals.
The 2002 NBA Playoffs featured several controversial last-second shots. During Game 4 of the series between the Charlotte Hornets and Orlando Magic, Baron Davis hit a three-pointer at the buzzer that should have counted, but was waved off. Later, Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers was awarded a game-tying three-pointer from half-court against the New Jersey Nets that should not have counted, but was. In the Western Conference Finals between the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers, Lakers forward Samaki Walker hit a three-pointer to end the half (the three points would later haunt the Kings as Robert Horry won the game on a last second shot). After the playoffs ended, it was decided that instant replay was needed in the NBA. In addition, NBA backboards are provided with red light beams to determine the end of the shot clock and/or the game clock.
This season marked the first time the league's scoring leader (in this case Allen Iverson) failed to make the All-NBA First Team.