The 1997–98 NBA season was the 76ers 49th season in the National Basketball Association, and 35th season in Philadelphia. In the offseason, the Sixers acquired Jim Jackson, Eric Montross and rookie Tim Thomas from the New Jersey Nets. Under new head coach Larry Brown, the Sixers got off to a rough start losing their first five games. At midseason, they traded Jackson along with Clarence Weatherspoon to the Golden State Warriors for Joe Smith and Brian Shaw. The team finished last place in the Atlantic Division with a 31–51 record, missing the playoffs for seven straight seasons. Second-year star Allen Iverson had a stellar season leading the team in scoring with 22.0 points per game.

The start of the rebuilding of the franchise began when guard Jerry Stackhouse, (the third pick in the 1995 NBA draft) was traded along with center Montross to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for forward/center Theo Ratliff, and guard Aaron McKie in late December. Then the team received point guard Eric Snow from the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for a draft pick. These three players blended well with coach Brown's philosophy, and this would be the last season in which the Sixers missed the postseason until 2004. Following the season, Derrick Coleman signed as a free agent with the Charlotte Hornets, Smith signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Shaw and Mark Davis were both released.

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