1996 PBA season

1996 PBA season
Duration	February 18, 1996 – December 17, 1996
Number of teams	8
TV partner(s)	Vintage Sports (IBC)
1996 PBA Draft
Top draft pick	Marlou Aquino
Picked by	Ginebra San Miguel
Season MVP	Johnny Abarrientos
All-Filipino Cup champions	Alaska Milkmen
All-Filipino Cup runners-up	Purefoods TJ Hotdogs
Commissioner's Cup champions	Alaska Milkmen
Commissioner's Cup runners-up	Formula Shell Zoom Masters
Governors Cup champions	Alaska Milkmen
Governors Cup runners-up	Ginebra San Miguel

The 1996 PBA season was the 22nd season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Season highlights

• The league's broadcast partner, Vintage Sports, switched networks from People's Television to Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation. They also changed their primary language from English to Tagalog.
• Crowd-favorite Ginebra San Miguel return to their winning ways after years of being a doormat, with the entry of top draft pick, 6-9 Marlou Aquino, the Ginebras advances in the semifinals for the first time in three years during the All-Filipino Cup, their season was highlighted by a finals trip in the third conference, losing to grandslam champions Alaska Milkmen.
• The Pepsi Mega Bottlers sold their franchise to PILTEL and was renamed Mobiline Cellulars at the start of the Commissioner's Cup.
• The Alaska Milkmen became the fourth team to win the PBA Grand slam, by sweeping all three conferences of the season, joining the 1976 and 1983 Crispa Redmanizers and the 1989 San Miguel Beermen.
• Johnny Abarrientos became the first pure guard to win the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award since Ricardo Brown in 1985.

Opening ceremonies

The muses for the participating teams are as follows:

Team	Muse
Alaska Milkmen	Anamarie Pukon and Sharon Fuentes
Formula Shell	Teresa Herrera
Ginebra San Miguel	Amanda Page
Pepsi Mega	Maricel Morales (Mutya ng Pilipinas)
Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs	Shantal Umali
San Miguel Beermen	Candice Coral and Gracia
Sta. Lucia Realtors	Cara Sobejano and Abigail Arenas
Sunkist Orange Juicers	Vina Morales

Champions

• All-Filipino Cup: Alaska Milkmen
• Commissioner's Cup: Alaska Milkmen
• Governor's Cup: Alaska Milkmen
• Team with best win-loss percentage: Alaska Milkmen (51-21, .708)
• Best Team of the Year: Alaska Milkmen (1st)

Individual awards

• Most Valuable Player: Johnny Abarrientos (Alaska)
• Rookie of the Year: Marlou Aquino (Ginebra)
• Sportsmanship Award: Jerry Codiñera (Purefoods)
• Most Improved Player: Edward "Poch" Juinio (Alaska)
• Defensive Player of the Year: Marlou Aquino (Ginebra)
• Mythical Five:
  • Johnny Abarrientos (Alaska)
  • Rene Hawkins, Jr. (Alaska)
  • Jojo Lastimosa (Alaska)
  • Alvin Patrimonio (Purefoods)
  • Marlou Aquino (Ginebra)
• Mythical Second Team:
  • Bal David (Ginebra)
  • Noli Locsin (Ginebra)
  • Jeffrey Cariaso (Alaska)
  • Benjie Paras (Shell)
  • Nelson Asaytono (San Miguel)
• All Defensive Team:
  • Jerry Codiñera (Purefoods)
  • Chris Jackson (Sta. Lucia)
  • Johnny Abarrientos (Alaska)
  • Jeffrey Cariaso (Alaska)
  • Marlou Aquino (Ginebra)

Awards given by the PBA Press Corps

• Coach of the Year: Earl Timothy Cone (Alaska)
• Mr. Quality Minutes: Gilbert "Jun" Reyes, Jr. (Alaska)
• Executive of the Year: Emilio Bernardino (PBA Commissioner)
• Comeback Player of the Year: Richie Ticzon (Shell)
• Referee of the Year: Ogie Bernarte

Cumulative standings

Team	GP	W	L	PCT
Alaska Milkmen	72	51	21	.708
Ginebra San Miguel	64	35	29	.547
Formula Shell Zoom Masters	65	33	32	.508
San Miguel Beermen	51	25	26	.490
Purefoods TJ Hotdogs	60	29	31	.483
Sta. Lucia Realtors	45	20	25	.444
Sunkist Orange Juicers/Bottlers	38	16	22	.421
Pepsi Mega/Mobiline Cellulars	35	7	28	.200