Shaq Backboard Break at Meadowlands Celebrates 30-Year Anniversary

The Orlando Magic was put on the NBA map after Shaquille O'Neal famously dunked a ball so hard it broke the backboard.

The early years of the Orlando Magic are largely defined by Shaquille O'Neal and his one-of-a-kind style of play.

In particular, one play stands out and defines his legacy with the Magic.

On this day in 1993 in a game against the New Jersey Nets, Shaq dunked the ball so hard that it slammed the entire backboard out of its place and onto the ground.

The Magic went on to win the game 119-116, earning a then-franchise record 40th win. The next day, Orlando won its 41st game of the season, achieving the team's first .500 record in franchise history. Unfortunately for the Magic, Orlando lost the tiebreaker to the Indiana Pacers and missed the playoffs, but the team would get the last laugh.

The Magic's exclusion from the playoffs made the team eligible for the 1993 NBA Draft lottery, and Orlando won the No. 1 overall pick for a second year in a row. Ultimately, the Magic traded out of that position with the Golden State Warriors, who chose Michigan standout Chris Webber. Orlando didn't do too shabby either, selecting Memphis point guard Penny Hardaway, who teamed up with Shaq to help the Magic reach the NBA Finals just two years later.

At the end of the 1995-96 season, O'Neal left in free agency to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, effectively ending the first "era" of Magic basketball.

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