Unbelievable,An important Magic player who had retired earlier today announced his return to the team
Orlando, Florida It will be a historic night for the Orlando Magic on Tuesday.
In addition to playing one of the best teams in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder, this game will be Orlando’s only appearance on TNT or ESPN for the entire 2023–24 regular season. Shaquille O’Neal, a former Magic center, will be the first player in franchise history to retire his No. 32 jersey, making it possibly the most significant of all.
In 1995, O’Neal guided Orlando to its first-ever NBA Finals appearance.
Following Tuesday’s game, the Big Fella’s jersey will be retired in honor of his incredible play as a Magic player and his contributions to the team’s success going forward in the league.
In the 1992 NBA Draft, the Magic chose O’Neal as their first overall No. 1 pick, coming out of LSU. He guided the Magic to an NBA Finals meeting with the Houston Rockets during the 1994–1995 campaign. All-star point guard Penny Hardaway, strong shooting guard Nick Anderson, accurate small forward Dennis Scott, and power forward Horace Grant made up the remaining starting lineup.
O’Neal averaged 27.2 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks in 295 games during his four seasons in Orlando. The Magic advanced to the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals in addition to the 1995 Finals, but they were defeated by the Bulls in the opening game of Chicago’s second run at winning three straight titles.
During his four seasons with the Magic, he was selected for three All-Star teams and four All-Star Games. He was named NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1992–93 season. In 1996, he was selected for the Men’s U.S. Olympic Basketball Team.
Without him, Orlando’s rise to prominence in the NBA would not have occurred as quickly, beginning in 1992–1993, his rookie campaign.
Even more significant than his accomplishments on the court was O’Neal’s exuberant personality, which drew admirers from all over the world to Orlando. Away from the court, he was gregarious, lighthearted, entertaining, and involved in the Orlando community, and he moved freely amongst the people he encountered at clubs, eateries, and the lakefront, where he owned his enormous Isleworth estate.
He supported law enforcement in Central Florida as well. His rap albums enjoyed widespread success across the nation, and he was able to further his appeal by landing parts in films and television shows. Lucille, his mother, rose to prominence in society.
His teammates also gained notoriety as he did. After appearing in a national Nike advertising campaign as his alter ego “Little Penny,” played by comedian Chris Rock, Hardaway went on to become an All-Star and compete for the United States Men’s Olympic Team.
In order to create space for O’Neal’s thunderous dunks, which included some that knocked down basketball stanchions and compelled the NBA to reinforce them, Scott’s record-breaking 3-point shooting helped open up the middle. Grant was essential to Orlando’s defense and provided the expertise, abilities, and extra strength that allowed the Bulls to win their first three titles. At shooting guard, Anderson was a prolific scorer as well as a strong defender.
Fans in Orlando were divided over O’Neal’s departure from the team to sign as a free agent with the Los Angeles Lakers; some blamed the team and ownership, while others believed O’Neal and his agent were to blame.
Furthermore, it occurred a year prior to the NBA’s current collective bargaining rules, which grant teams the right of first refusal to retain their draft picks following their initial contracts. The Magic were not compensated, and after the 1998–1999 season, O’Neal’s exit and Hardaway’s injuries forced the team to undergo its first rebuild.
After 28 years, Orlando is retiring his jersey in recognition of the historical significance of his role in the Magic, proving that time has healed those wounds. With center Wilt Chamberlain, O’Neal will only be the second player in NBA history to have his jersey retired by three teams. The teams that O’Neal led to NBA titles, the Lakers and the Miami Heat, have already retired his number.
TNT has also taken notice. On a network pregame show, the Magic made the announcement of O’Neal’s retirement from the jersey live.
“Shaquille O’Neal is the obvious choice when someone asks who officially put the Orlando Magic on the map,” Magic Chief Executive Officer Alex Martins stated during the show. Both on and off the court, he elevated this franchise to new heights, and his influence can still be seen in our team today.
We are thrilled to honor Shaquille by hoisting #32 into the Kia Center’s rafters, where it will stay forever, on behalf of the DeVos family.
The game on Tuesday night will also be exclusively covered by the network. Broadcasters will include Scott, O’Neal’s former teammate, and former Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, in addition to O’Neal, who frequently appears on TNT’s studio show. Van Gundy led Orlando and then-center Dwight Howard to the 2009 NBA Finals. Since the Magic made it to the 2009 Finals, national broadcasters have not given them the attention they deserve.
The game is being played after Orlando (29–24) defeated the Bulls and the San Antonio Spurs in back-to-back games. With a young core of players, Orlando is attempting to make it to the NBA playoffs on its 35th anniversary.
Orlando will face a significant challenge from the Thunder (36-17), who are among the NBA’s newest teams and may be at least a year ahead of the Magic in their rebuild. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, an All-Star point guard, and Chet Holmgren, the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft—the same year the Magic selected Paolo Banchero, an All-Star—are two members of Oklahoma City’s roster.
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