1996–97 Vancouver Grizzlies season

The 1996–97 NBA season was the second season for the Vancouver Grizzlies in the National Basketball Association. Coming off of finishing with the league's worst record at 15–67 in their inaugural season, the Grizzlies received the third overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft, and selected small forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim from the University of California. The team acquired Anthony Peeler and George Lynch from the Los Angeles Lakers, and signed free agent Lee Mayberry during the off-season.

However, the Grizzlies continued to struggle in their second season, losing their first seven games of the regular season, then posting an 8-game losing streak in January as head coach Brian Winters was fired after an 8–35 start, and was replaced with General Manager Stu Jackson. The Grizzlies held a 9–42 record at the All-Star break, then suffered a 15-game losing streak between February and March, and went on a nine-game losing streak between March and April, finishing in last place in the Midwest Division with a league worst record of 14–68, their worst record in franchise history.

Abdur-Rahim averaged 18.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, and also finished in third place in Rookie of the Year voting, while second-year star Bryant Reeves showed improvement averaging 16.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, and Peeler provided the team with 14.5 points and 1.5 steals per game, and led them with 128 three-point field goals. In addition, Greg Anthony contributed 9.5 points, 6.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game, while Lynch provided with 8.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, but only played just 41 games due to an abdominal strain injury. Off the bench, Blue Edwards provided with 7.8 points per game, while second-year guard Lawrence Moten contributed 6.7 points per game, first-round draft pick Roy Rogers from the University of Alabama averaged 6.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and led the team with 2.0 blocks per game, and Mayberry contributed 5.1 points and 4.1 assists per game.

Following the season, Anthony signed as a free agent with the Seattle SuperSonics, while Jackson was fired as head coach, Rogers was traded to the Boston Celtics, and Moten and Eric Mobley were both released to free agency.