The 1997–98 NBA season was the 76ers 49th season in the National Basketball Association, and 35th season in Philadelphia. The 76ers selected Keith Van Horn from the University of Utah with the second overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft, but soon traded him to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Jim Jackson, Eric Montross and top draft pick Tim Thomas, and signed free agent and former All-Star forward Terry Cummings during the off-season. Under new head coach Larry Brown, the Sixers got off to a rough start losing their first five games. In late December, the team traded Montross along with Jerry Stackhouse to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Theo Ratliff and Aaron McKie, then later on acquired Eric Snow from the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for a draft pick. At midseason, they traded