The 1996 NBA draft was the 50th draft in the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was held on June 26, 1996 at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. In this draft, NBA teams took turns selecting college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and non-North American leagues. The Vancouver Grizzlies had the highest probability to win the NBA draft lottery, but since they were an expansion team along with the Toronto Raptors, they were not allowed to select first in this draft.[1] The team with the second-highest probability, the Philadelphia 76ers, won the lottery and obtained the first selection. The Toronto Raptors and the Vancouver Grizzlies were second and third, respectively. The Raptors won the first overall pick in 1996, but they had to give that up due to the expansion agreement with the league. [2]
It is widely considered to be one of the deepest and most talented NBA drafts in history, with one-third of the first-round picks later becoming NBA All-Stars. The draft class produced three players who won a combined four NBA MVP awards (Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Steve Nash), seven other drafted players who became All-Stars (Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Ray Allen, Žydrūnas Ilgauskas, Stephon Marbury, Jermaine O'Neal, Peja Stojaković, Antoine Walker), and one undrafted All-Star (Ben Wallace), for a grand total of 11 All-Stars. Moreover, eight players from this draft class have been named to at least one All-NBA Team, the most among any draft. The draft class also produced three players who have been named to the NBA's all-defensive first team: Bryant, Marcus Camby, and Wallace. Camby won the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2007, while Wallace earned the same award in 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2006. Five-time NBA champion Derek Fisher was also selected in the draft.
The 76ers selected two future Major League Baseball players, Mark Hendrickson and Ryan Minor, with their second-round picks.
^Nationality indicates the player's national team or representative nationality. If a player has not competed at the international level, then the nationality indicates the national team which the player is eligible to represent according to FIBA rules.
Notable undrafted players
The following are undrafted players of the 1996 NBA Draft but later played in the NBA.
Ben Wallace, not selected in the draft, had a successful career including 4 All-Star selections, and became the first undrafted NBA player of the modern era to be elected to the Hall of Fame.
This year would officially see a steep climb up of the number of underclassmen declaring their entry into the NBA. While previous years starting in 1971 would see a relatively small amount of college underclassmen alongside overseas and even high school players not only officially declare their entry to the draft, but stick with it, this year saw an official total of 42 different players that qualified as underclassmen see an initial entry into the NBA draft. However, six of these players (those being the Nigerian born Sunday Adebayo from the University of Arkansas, Carlos Knox from IUPUI, Terquin Mott from Coppin State University, Mark Sanford from the University of Washington, Jess Settles from the University of Iowa, and Kebu Stewart from Cal State Bakersfield) would ultimately withdraw their initial entry into this year's NBA draft, leaving 29 players that declared for the NBA draft as proper college underclassmen, three high school players (including Kobe Bryant and Jermaine O'Neal) entering the NBA draft as high school seniors, three proper international players (including the first two teammates from the same team) entering directly from overseas play, and one player named Priest Lauderdale previously leaving Central State University to play for the Peristeri B.C. in Greece for a grand total of 36 players that would qualify as underclassmen. That being said, the following college basketball players successfully applied for early draft entrance.[38]
This year marked the second year in a row where high school players would be allowed entry into the NBA directly from high school after previously not allowing high schoolers to enter the NBA draft directly since 1975. The following high school players successfully applied for early draft entrance.[38]
This year marked the first time that international teammates would declare their entry into the NBA draft simultaneously. The following international players successfully applied for early draft entrance.[38]
^ abThe Bucks traded the draft rights of Stephon Marbury to the Timberwolves for Ray Allen and a future first-round pick on June 26, 1996. O'Connor, Ian (June 27, 1996). "Marbury Learns Like A Pro". New York Daily News. p. 88.
^ abThe Mavericks traded the No. 6 pick and a future pick (#6 pick in 1997 NBA draft) to the Celtics for Eric Montross and a No. 9 pick on June 21, 1996. May, Peter (June 22, 1996). "Montross shipped to Dallas for the No. 6 pick". The Boston Globe. p. 67.
^ abThe Pacers traded No. 23 pick along with Mark Jackson and Ricky Pierce to the Nuggets for No. 10 pick along with Jalen Rose and Reggie Williams on June 13, 1996. Boeck, Greg (June 14, 1996). "Nuggets begin overhaul, make two trades". USA Today. p. 12C.
^ abThe Magic traded No. 11 pick and Scott Skiles to the Bullets for No. 42 pick on July 29, 1994. Hubbuch, Bart (July 30, 1994). "Bullets make point, get Skiles". The Washington Times. p. C1.
^The Cavaliers traded Mark Price to the Wizards(then Bullets) for No. 12 pick on September 27, 1995. Hughes, Frank (September 28, 1995). "Bullets on the Mark with Price ; Club trades No. 1 pick to Cavs; Wallace signs". The Washington Times. p. B1.
^The Hornets traded the draft rights of Kobe Bryant to the Lakers for center Vlade Divac on July 1, 1996. Macenka, Joe (July 1, 1996). "Divac Agrees to Charlotte Trade". Associated Press.
^ abThe Pistons traded the No. 18 pick along with Dennis Rodman to the Spurs for the No. 26 pick along with Sean Elliott and David Wood on October 1, 1993.Adler, Alan L. (October 2, 1993). "Sports News". Associated Press.
^ abThe Hawks traded No. 19 pick along with Kevin Willis to the Heat for No. 45 pick along with Steve Smith and Grant Long on November 7, 1994."Atlanta trades Willis to Heat". Financial Post. November 8, 1994. p. 53.
^The Heat sent No. 19 pick and $1 million to the Knicks for a right to pursue hiring Pat Riley on September 1, 1995. "Knicks, Heat arrange deal in Riley case". Toronto Star. September 2, 1995. p. F8.
^ abcdThe Rockets traded No. 22 and No. 51 picks along with Pete Chilcutt, Tim Breaux and the No. 53 pick in the 1997 NBA draft to the Grizzlies for No. 30 and No. 42 picks along with No. 30 pick in the 1997 NBA Draft on June 19, 1996. Harris, Bill (June 20, 1996). "Grizzlies Deal For Another First-round Pick". The Toronto Sun. p. 115.
^The Jazz traded the draft rights of Martin Müürsepp to the Heat for a future draft pick (#23 in 2000 NBA draft) on June 26, 1996. Jackson, Barry (June 27, 1996). "Riley Finds New Forward in Estonia". The Miami Herald.
^ abcThe Hawks traded No. 45 and No. 47 picks to the Supersonics for No. 28 pick on June 25, 1996. "Hawks Regain First-Round Draft Pick in Sonics Trade". Associated Press. June 25, 1996. p. D1.
^The Chicago Bulls renounced the draft rights to Travis Knight on July 12, 1996.
^The Raptors traded No. 32 pick along with No. 37 pick in the 1997 NBA Draft, Tony Massenburg and Ed Pinckney to the 76ers for Sharone Wright on February 22, 1996. "Raptors swing deal with Philly". Financial Post. February 23, 1996. p. 64.
^The Timberwolves traded No. 35 pick to the SuperSonics for Željko Rebrača on June 29, 1994. Cour, Jim (June 30, 1994). "The Associated Press report". Associated Press.
^The Nets traded No. 37 pick along with No. 31 pick in the 1991 NBA draft to the Kings for Mike McGee on October 31, 1988. "Nets Acquire Kings' McGee". The New York Times. November 1, 1988. p. D30.
^The Kings traded No. 37 pick along with Šarūnas Marčiulionis to the Nuggets for Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf on June 13, 1996. Farine, Michael (June 14, 1996). "Nuggets trade Abdul-Rauf to Kings". The Washington Times. p. B3.
^The Nuggets traded No. 39 pick to the Clippers for Winston Garland on June 26, 1991. "Clippers pull off two trades". St. Petersburg Times. June 27, 1991. p. 3C.
^The Clippers traded No. 39 pick along with No. 41 pick in the 1997 NBA draft and Olden Polynice to the Pistons for William Bedford and draft rights to Don MacLean on June 24, 1992. "Knicks get Blackman in top NBA trade". The Washington Times. June 25, 1992. p. D3.
^The Pistons traded No. 39 pick along with a No. 49 pick in the 1999 NBA draft to the Suns for Mark West on August 1, 1994. "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL". The New York Times. August 2, 1994. p. B8.
^The Magic traded No. 42 pick along with Kenny Gattison to the Grizzlies for Jeff Turner on February 22, 1996. "Gattison, Turner Swapped". Associated Press. February 22, 1996.
^Vogel represented Lebanon in international competitions later in his career.
^The Pistons traded No. 48 pick to the 76ers for Eric Leckner on July 25, 1994. "TRANSACTIONS". The New York Times. July 26, 1994. p. B12.
^The Cavaliers traded No. 50 pick to the Rockets for Keith Hughes on June 26, 1991. "PICKS BY TEAM". The Washington Post. June 27, 1991. p. B6.
^Nordgaard would later represent Poland in international competitions.
^The Lakers traded No. 53 pick along with No. 37 pick in the 1994 NBA draft and No. 50 pick in the 1995 NBA draft to the SuperSonics for Sedale Threatt on October 2, 1991. "Lakers Get Threatt From Seattle". The New York Times. October 3, 1991. p. B10.
^The SuperSonics traded No. 53 pick along with Eurelijus Žukauskas to the Bucks for Eric Snow on June 28, 1995. "Wednesday's Sports Transactions". Associated Press. June 29, 1995.
^The Hornets traded J.R. Reid to the Spurs for Sidney Green, a 1993 first-round pick (#20 overall), and a 1996 second-round pick (#55 overall) on December 9, 1992. "2007–08 Media Guide: All-time Transactions"(PDF). New Orleans Hornets. NBA. p. 129. Archived from the original(PDF) on December 25, 2008. Retrieved April 11, 2011.
^The Hornets traded a 1996 second-round pick (#55 overall), and a 1997 second-round pick (#48 overall) to the Wizards for Michael Adams on August 2, 1994. "Predrag Drobnjak". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved April 11, 2011.
^The Magic traded No. 56 pick to the Cavaliers for Steve Kerr on December 3, 1992. "PEOPLE TRANSACTIONS". The Gazette. December 4, 1992. p. C4.
^The Mavericks traded Rodney McCray in a 3-team trade with the Bulls and the Warriors for a No. 19 pick in the 1994 draft, No. 58 pick in the 1996 draft on September 18, 1992. "Byron Houston". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved April 13, 2011.
^"Priest Lauderdale". The Draft Review. June 3, 2007. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
External links
"Official site". NBA.com. Archived from the original on October 26, 1996. Retrieved 2013-12-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
.jpg)
