David Steele Reveals Why He Retired as Voice of Magic

The last person to work with the Orlando Magic since the team's inception has officially retired.

After a light 37 years on the call for the Magic, plus 7 seasons calling Gators football and basketball, tallying 51 years in total bouncing around the sports broadcasting business, the one and only David Steele has officially hung up the microphone.

Orlando can't raise David's golden mic to the rafters soon enough.

David Steele (@steelemagic) - Best Calls/Moments pic.twitter.com/sTnGRU8tA0
— The Magic Way (@MagicFilmRoom) July 16, 2026

Steele has served as the Voice of the Magic since Day 1 in 1989, where he became an iconic voice of not only Magic Basketball, but arguably the predominant voice in Florida sports broadcasting,

Now, he's leaving the game the way any all-time great can hope to leave – on his own terms.

"One of the best parts of the job that I did for 37 seasons...

Somebody might do something that everybody is talking about the next day all around the country

(for) T-Mac... it could literally happen any night." - @steelemagic

𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 @SwishTheory pic.twitter.com/6vM9tgVUPm
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) August 11, 2026

David Steele Quotes from Learning Basketball Podcast Interview

John Gabriel, David Steele, Alex Martins | Ryan Kaminski @BeyondTheRK

David Steele shares the exciting challenge of calling NBA games, where anything can happen on any given night:

One of the best parts of the job that I did for 37 seasons was that on any given night, you never knew what might happen.

There could be something so unbelievable, spectacular, on any given night. It could be a Tuesday night in January against the Sacramento Kings. But somebody might do something that everybody is talking about the next day all around the country.

And so that was the challenge to really stay on your toes, and be ready for that.

And when you had a player like T-Mac, it could literally happen on any night. He routinely did things that were hard to even believe that you could even see a human being was able to do. He was just spectacularly talented, athletic, the whole package.
David Steele on Living Up to The Moment

David Steele shares why he decided to retire as Voice of the Orlando Magic and future plans:

It was my decision.

I do not know if you will see Is This Anything. (future appearances) We really have not talked about things like that with the production crew or the franchise.

No, I am retired. I am going to take it easy.

I have got family considerations – My wife, who has been unbelievably supportive and did such a great job raising three children, who are now three great human beings with eight of our grandchildren who are all unbelievable kids.

They are quality people, they are my family, and I want to spend more time with them and see this next generation and all their athletic pursuits. I missed a lot of my son and our two daughters, I missed out on a lot of what they were accomplishing in athletics and academics through all those years.

So, this next generation I really want to enjoy, to relax and do some traveling, and give back to my wife who gave so much for 37... well, let us say 51 years professionally, because it goes back to the mid-70s.

I am going to take good care of the family, hopefully stay in good health, and watch a lot of Orlando Magic basketball games, either in person or with Dante, JT and Kendra on television.
David Steele on his Post-Retirement Plan

Why is The Voice of The Magic Retiring?

"My family. I want to spend more time with them... to enjoy, relax, do some traveling, and give back to my wife who gave so much for 51 years professionally" - @steelemagic #ThankYouDavid 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 @SwishTheory pic.twitter.com/q5TruUtnCN
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) August 11, 2026

There will never be another David Steele.

Magic fans can't thank him enough for all he's given to the game, the team, and the city of Orlando.

After all this time put in with his Magic family, David deserves more Steele family time.

As for the legendary career of The Voice of the Magic, there's only one thing left to say: He drilled it!

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