The 2016–17 Southeastern Conference men's basketball season began with practices in October 2016, followed by the start of the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season in November. Conference play started in early January 2017 and concluded in March, after which 14 member teams participated in the 2017 SEC tournament at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, with the tournament champion guaranteed a selection to the 2017 NCAA tournament.