Men edit

• Intercontinental Cup : Real Madrid

Women edit

Regular Season MVP edit

NBA Finals MVP edit

• Class of 1981:^[1]
  • Tom Barlow
  • Arad McCutchan
  • Ferenc Hepp
  • J. Walter Kennedy

• 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)

• 1981 in sports