The 1996–97 NCAA Division I men's basketball season concluded in the 64-team 1997 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament whose finals were held at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Arizona Wildcats earned their first national championship by defeating the Kentucky Wildcats 84–79 on March 31, 1997. They were coached by Lute Olsen and the NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player was Arizona's Miles Simon.

In the 32-team 1997 National Invitation Tournament, the Michigan Wolverines defeated the Florida State Seminoles at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Michigan later vacated the 1997 NIT title after Robert Traylor and Louis Bullock were later ruled ineligible.

Following the season, the 1997 NCAA Men's Basketball All-American Consensus First team included Tim Duncan, Danny Fortson, Raef LaFrentz, Ron Mercer, and Keith Van Horn.

The top 25 from the pre-season AP Poll.

These schools joined new conferences for the 1996–97 season.

27 conference seasons concluded with a single-elimination tournament, with only the Big Ten Conference, Ivy League and the Pac-10 Conference choosing not to conduct conference tournaments. Conference tournament winners received an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Michigan later forfeited its entire 1996–97 schedule after Robert Traylor, Maurice Taylor and Louis Bullock were found to have taken money from a Michigan booster.

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