Shaquille O’Neal spent only four seasons in Orlando after being drafted there, but he put the Magic on the map — those teams with Penny Hardaway were must-watch and made it all the way to the NBA Finals. He is still an icon of the franchise.
Which is why the Magic have decided to retire his No. 32. The ceremony will take place Feb. 13 (a Magic game broadcast on TNT)).
In celebration of our 35th anniversary this season, we will officially retire jersey #32 in honor of Shaquille O’Neal during a postgame ceremony on Tuesday, February 13.
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) January 5, 2024
O’Neal becomes the first player in franchise history to have his number retired 🪄 pic.twitter.com/i5zk1b6IR9
Shaq learned of what was happening during the Inside the NBA broadcast Thursday.
Into the rafters forever 💙
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) January 5, 2024
We're excited to announce that @SHAQ will become the first @OrlandoMagic player in franchise history to have his jersey number retired on Feb. 13! pic.twitter.com/jfWtSTL9h0
“It was a great four years there,” O’Neal said on TNT. “I just wanted to come in and just make a name for myself. ... I’d like to thank the city of Orlando, like to thank the Orlando Magic organization. Appreciate you very much.”
In those four years, Shaq was Rookie of the Year, a four-time All-Star and a three-time All-NBA player — he walked in the door one of the top players in the NBA. He averaged 27.2 points and 12.5 rebounds a game in those five seasons. He went on to win four NBA titles — three with the Lakers and Kobe Bryant, one with the Heat and Dwyane Wade — plus be an NBA MVP and three-time Finals MVP.
The Magic inducted Shaq into the team’s Hall of Fame in 2015, the same season he went into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Shaq has already had his number retired by the Lakers and Heat and he will be the third player to have his number retired by three teams (Wilt Chamberlain and Pete Maravich), reports Tim Reynolds of the AP. Bill Russell’s No. 6 has been retired by the entire league.