Shaquille O’Neal will become the first player in Orlando Magic history to get their jersey retired, with the Magic confirming that his No. 32 will be in the rafters soon. After the news was delivered to Shaq on ‘Inside the NBA’, the show producers also lined up a congratulatory message from Shaq’s mother.
“Congratulations Shaquille for the retirement of your jersey with the Orlando Magic. This is your No. 1 fan saying congratulations to you. I can remember back when they called your name… We’re all so happy for you and so excited. You’ve made us all proud with all the joy and excitement you brought to the Orlando community. This recognition is well-deserved. We want you to enjoy it, we’re so proud of you, and we pray that you continue to enjoy life. God bless you, my son.”
"I can remember back when they called your name… You've made us all proud with all that joy and excitement you brought to the Orlando [Magic] community."
Shaq gets a congratulatory message from his mom Dr. Lucille O'Neal ❤
(via @NBA)pic.twitter.com/xoSLCVjMI5
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 5, 2024
Shaq will be the first player in the history of the Orlando Magic to get his jersey retired, having an animated reaction to the news when he was informed on ‘Inside the NBA’ by Magic CEO Alex Martins, who appeared on the show to let O’Neal know the news. Shaq was overjoyed at this honor.
“Couple of years ago, they did the Ring of Honor, I thought I was getting my jersey retired… I want to thank the DeVos family. I wish the old man was still alive, he meant a lot to me. Brian Hill, D-Scott, and Penny Hardaway, we had some great times. I was Victor Wembanyama before him. You come in, they expect you to turn things around.”
Shaq learns that he'll be the first player in Orlando Magic history to have a jersey number retired. pic.twitter.com/ExvI1bqe19
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 5, 2024
The Magic were founded in 1989 and have had a handful of superstar players in their nearly 35 years of existence. No superstar was bigger than Shaq, as he was heralded as a generational talent when he entered the league in 1992. He didn’t end up playing for a long time in Orlando but achieved more than all but one player in Magic history within just four seasons.
O’Neal averaged 27.2 points on 58.1 FG%, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks in his four-year stint with the Magic. He was a four-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection, the 1995 Scoring champ, and the 1993 Rookie of the Year. He carried the Magic to the 1995 NBA Finals but unfortunately got swept by Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets.
Will More Players Get Their Jerseys Retired In Orlando?
With the Magic finally retiring Shaq’s number, two players will be waiting in the wings to get a call to have their number retired as well. The first man will be Shaq’s old running mate, Penny Hardaway. Penny averaged 19.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.3 assists for the Magic over six seasons, becoming a four-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection before injuries curtailed his prime.
Arguably the single-greatest Magic player in history, Dwight Howard will hope politics don’t keep him from earning a jersey retirement in Orlando. He averaged 18.4 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks over seven seasons, being named to six All-Star teams, five All-NBA teams, and winning three Defensive Player of the Year trophies. Howard also carried them to the 2009 NBA Finals, where they lost to Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.
Howard’s accolades outrank Shaq and Penny’s in an Orlando jersey, so it’ll be interesting to see if his jersey is retired after all the off-court controversy surrounding him.
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