1996 New Zealand NBL season

The 1996 NBL season was the 15th season of the National Basketball League. Only one change occurred heading into the 1996 season, with Waitakere leaving the NBL for the second-tiered Conference Basketball League (CBL). Auckland won the championship in 1996 to claim their fourth league title. In the best-of-three championship series, Nelson took Game 1 110–95, before Auckland came back to take Game 2 109–98 and Game 3 94–90.

Season awards

 * NZ Most Valuable Player: Phill Jones (Nelson)
 * Most Outstanding Guard: Tony Bennett (North Harbour)
 * Most Outstanding NZ Guard: Phill Jones (Nelson)
 * Most Outstanding Forward: Ed Book (Palmerston North)
 * Most Outstanding NZ Forward/Centre: Pero Cameron (Auckland)
 * Scoring Champion: Ed Book (Palmerston North)
 * Rebounding Champion: Jeff Daniels (North Harbour)
 * Assist Champion: Scott Stewart (Canterbury)
 * Rookie of the Year: Paora Winitana (North Harbour)
 * Coach of the Year: Nenad Vučinić (Nelson)
 * All-Star Five:
 * G: Tony Bennett (North Harbour)
 * G: Phill Jones (Nelson)
 * F: Darryl Johnson (Hutt Valley)
 * F: Pero Cameron (Auckland)
 * C: Ed Book (Palmerston North)