BREAKING: Magic to Retire Shaq Jersey
ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic is finally making the call.
Franchise legend Shaquille O'Neal will become the first player in Magic history to have his jersey retired on Tuesday, Feb. 13.
An All-Star in each of his four seasons, O'Neal averaged 27.2 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.4 blocks before his departure for the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996.
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But above all the individual accolades, arguably the most impactful aspect of O'Neal's legacy is leading Orlando to its first NBA Finals appearance in 1995.
Despite being swept by the Houston Rockets, this appearance is still one of only two in history (2009) and a turning point for the franchise.
Last year, O'Neal dropped a rap lyric on still waiting to get the iconic No. 32 jersey retired for the Magic in his "Home Depot Freestyle."
"If you count my points and rebounds quadruple platinum," O'Neal said. "Got two retired jerseys in two different cities, I'm still waiting on that call from the Orlando Magic."
It came as no surprise seeing O'Neal's No. 34 retired for the Lakers after spending eight seasons there, winning the 2000 MVP and three NBA Championships. Then, the Miami Heat announced in 2016 that the 15-time All Star would be the next jersey to hang in the rafters. While he did win play a big role in the Heat win its first NBA Championship in 2006, O'Neal is still one of only four players to have their number retired after playing for the franchise - Chris Bosh (No. 1), Tim Hardaway (No. 10) and Alonzo Mourning (No. 33) - each of which at least six seasons.
The Magic has a different history when it comes to retiring jerseys. The only number that isn't allowed to be worn by an Orlando player is No. 6, which is retired by the league for Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell. The Magic has yet to retire a jersey in its 35-year history ... until now.
