Shaq Interested in Buying Magic? O'Neal Sends Message in Jersey Retirement Speech
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ORLANDO - Shaquille O'Neal is the first player to have his jersey retired by the Orlando Magic, but he may not be done with the franchise.
In his jersey retirement ceremony, O'Neal finished it off with a cryptic message to the owners of the Magic, the DeVos family.
"To the DeVos family: Whenever you want me to quit TNT and come back home, you give me a call," O'Neal said in his retirement ceremony. "I'll be here in an instant."
Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
O'Neal went on to become one of the greatest players in NBA history and started his legacy in Orlando for the first four seasons of his career. O'Neal's heroics helped the Magic reach the 1995 NBA Finals against the Houston Rockets.
Even after infamously leaving the franchise for the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996, O'Neal still has roots in Orlando and would be a welcomed addition to the franchise.
The DeVos family has owned the Magic since 1991, but has not shown interest in selling the franchise despite Amway co-founder and patriarch Richard DeVos passing away in 2018.
O'Neal has experience in franchise ownership in the NBA, being a minority owner for the Sacramento Kings since 2013 before selling his stake in January 2022.
O'Neal returning to Orlando to own the franchise would certainly excite the fanbase, but it's questionable as to whether it is actually a possibility.
