Landon Buford
Last week it was announced during TNT’s “Inside the NBA,” that the Orlando Magic will be retiring NBA Hall Of Famer, Shaquille O’Neal’s jersey on February 13th.
O’Neal will become the first player in the franchise to achieve that feat. He will also be the second player in NBA history to have his jersey retired by three different franchises [Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, Miami Heat].
“When someone asks who was the first player to officially put the Orlando Magic on the map, the answer is simple — Shaquille O’Neal,” said Magic Chief Executive Alex Martins, whose team is celebrating its 35th season. “He took this franchise to new heights, both on and off the court, and his legacy is still felt within our organization today.”
O’Neal added, “It was a great four years there,” O’Neal shared. “I just wanted to come in and just make a name for myself.”
Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Darrell Armstrong, who played two seasons [1994-1996] with Shaq in Orlando, recently spoke with LandonBuford.com about the exciting news.
“I think it’s great for a guy, who took that franchise [The Orlando Magic] to the NBA Finals and gave him a chance to win one,” said Armstrong.
“[He was an] Allstar with Orlando, I mean it’s great and I’m happy that they honored him to be the first to receive it. So, that’s great for Shaq and I know that means a lot to him, [and] the city of Orlando as well.”
When Shaq’s jersey is raised to the rafters at the Kia Center, he will join the ‘Big Dipper,’ Wilt Chamberlain, whose number 13 jersey has been retired by the Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Golden State Warriors. Before the 2022-2023 NBA season, the NBA announced that every team would be retiring the late great Bill Russell’s number 6, following the news of his passing.
Throughout his 18 years career, O’Neal averaged 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 1207 games. He is also a four-time NBA Champion, 15 All-Star, 14 All-NBA member, three-time Finals MVP, and a member of the NBA’s Top 75 greatest players ever to play.
