1996-97

Only one year after the relegation to the EBA, Pamesa Valencia returned to the highest national competition, and this time with the good sensations of the group that left the promotion of the previous season. Second year of the Miki Vukovic era at the head of the club, for which a new investment was made with a clear objective: to settle again in the ACB and avoid a new relegation.

The method to follow was to rely on many of the players who had achieved promotion. Thus, on the outside, players like Nacho Rodilla at the point guard position, Víctor Luengo at shooting guard, Berni Álvarez at small forward, César Alonso starting at backup point guard and players like Jesús Fernández and Rubén Burgos helping out on the frontcourt, remain on the roster.

Continuing with the method of known players, two of the most important signings are former players of the club. This is the case of Eric Johnson and Johnny Rogers, who would play their second of three stages at the club. Johnson arrived at the club in 1992, becoming the first North American outside player in the history of Pamesa Valencia, and Rogers had arrived in 1989, when the club was just taking its first steps in ACB basketball.

Another important player arrives to the club as Aaron Swinson, a 3-4 that would combine with Rogers in the backcourt both on defense and offense. His physical strength will lead him to become one of the most important small forwards in the league. For the center position, Martin Keane was chosen, a rocky player, specialized in rebounding and who also came from the EBA League. His injury problems during the season made the club look for a replacement on a couple of occasions, arriving to the club different Americans like Marques Bragg, Clifford Rozier or Terrell Bell for temporary replacements.

A young José Luis Maluenda joins the club from CAI Zaragoza, although he will have few appearances on the court and to help in the inside game Iñaki Zubizarreta, also from Zaragoza, and Sasa Radunovic arrives in the middle of the season.

The squad responds to the expectations, and after overcoming a complicated start and adapting to the hardness of the ACB, the team fights to enter the top 8 and dispute, for the first time in history, the playoffs for the title. In the end, the team did not manage to sneak into the best despite giving a good image. The definitive step would have to wait, however, just one more year.