The Mitchell & Ness '96 Pro Crown Arrives!
Each and every year, the NBA makes dreams become a reality with 60 new players getting drafted into one of the most exclusive leagues in the world. With some becoming superstars and some falling shirt.
One thing is for certain though, these players lives are changed as soon as their name is read out on that ballot paper. With the each and every player earning lucrative rookie contracts!
THE 96 DRAFT
In history, there has some been some forgettable drafts, some great drafts and then there is the 96 Draft.
The 1996 NBA Draft 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 Collection
To celebrate one of the greatest NBA Drafts of all time, Mitchell & Ness decided to release a collection dedicated to all its glory.
Seeing as there are 17 pieces we aren't going to talk about them all, but lets have a look at some of the key styles and the story behind them.
#1 Draft Pick Allen Iverson - Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers '96 Draft' Pro Crown Snapback, celebrates one of the most skilled guards in history Allen Iverson.
Nicknamed "the Answer" and "AI", he played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) at both the shooting guard and point guard positions.
Iverson won NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 1997 and was an 11-time NBA All-Star, won the All-Star game MVP award in 2001 and 2005, and was the NBA's Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2001.
#3 Draft Pick Ray Allen - Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves '96 Draft' Pro Crown Snapback, is dedicated to the greatest shooter of all time, if Steph Curry didnt exist. Ray Allen.
He played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in September 2018. Allen is widely considered to be one of the greatest three-point shooters of all-time, and he held the record for most three-pointers made in a career until 2021, when he was surpassed by Stephen Curry.
Interestingly, Allen never played a game for the Timberwolves as he was traded to Milwaukee Bucks. A mistake? We think so..
#13 Draft Pick Kobe Bryant - Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets '96 Draft' Pro Crown Snapback, has plenty history behind it. Widely recognised, as one of the worst trades in history. With the Charlotte Hornets, selecting high school basketball star Kobe Bryant, but soon trading him to the Los Angeles Lakers for Vlade Divac.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Bryant won five NBA championships, was an 18-time All-Star, a 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, a 12-time member of the All-Defensive Team, the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), and a two-time NBA Finals MVP.
Bryant also led the NBA in scoring twice, and ranks fourth in league all-time regular season and postseason scoring.
He was posthumously voted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020 and named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
#15 Draft Pick Steve Nash - Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns '96 Draft' Pro Crown Snapback, is for one of the greatest leaders and floor commanders of all time Steve Nash.
Nash, played 18 seasons in the NBA, where he was an eight-time All-Star and a seven-time All-NBA selection.
Funnily enough, Nash was traded after just 2 seasons with the Suns to the Dallas Mavericks. For him to be traded back to the Suns in 2004 and boy that was the right move! Where Nash, was a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player while playing for the Phoenix Suns.
The over arching narrative is, that these caps celebrate one of the most significant drafts in NBA history. With every piece from this collection carrying a story whether thats pure greatness or draft night chaos, you are truely capturing a moment in history when sporting these caps.
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