Ready or Not: The ’96 Draft on NBA TV
NBA TV takes a look back at one of an NBA draft class filled with legends, Hall of Famers and iconic players (April 11, 8 p.m. ET).
NBA TV will premiere a two-part special, Ready or Not: The 96 NBA Draft, on Sunday, April 11, at 8 p.m. ET, commemorating one of the deepest and most impactful Draft classes in NBA history.
The latest Basketball Stories retrospective — airing as back-to-back hour-long episodes — documents the behind the scenes stories and celebrated careers for a collection of players that would go on to usher in a new era of basketball while amassing an astounding 61 NBA All-Star appearances.
Four future Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers were selected in the 1996 NBA Draft, starting with first overall pick Allen Iverson, followed by Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash. Other notables selected include NBA All-Stars Stephon Marbury, Antoine Walker, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Jermaine O’Neal, Peja Stojakovic and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, plus NBA veterans Marcus Camby, Derek Fisher, Kerry Kittles, Erick Dampier, Lorenzen Wright and Tony Delk.
Among the topics covered over the two shows — Iverson’s highly-anticipated arrival, a new generation of multitalented and highly competitive rookies, and several high profile Draft day trades.
Ready or Not — themed after the chart-topping 1996 Fugees song of the same name — features rare pre-Draft footage, candid moments from the green room, plus interviews with more than 30 former NBA players, coaches and executives, including Iverson, Allen, Nash, Jerry West and Rick Pitino.
Launched one year ago, NBA TV’s Basketball Stories franchise has included Decade to Remember, the 1988 All-Star Dunk Contest, Rip City Revival, and most recently, Reign Man & The Glove.
On-demand programming, including the Basketball Stories series, is also available directly to consumers through NBA.com and the NBA App.