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Shaquille O’Neal reacts to becoming first Orlando Magic player to have jersey retired: How many points did he average with them?
Orlando Magic honors Shaquille O’Neal with jersey retirement! Guess the scoring average during his historic run with the team. Discover more about this iconic moment.
This season, the Orlando Magic are marking their 35th anniversary, and as part of the celebrations, they're preparing to retire the jersey No. 32, in honor of Shaquille O’Neal.
The retired jersey will make O'Neal the first player in the team's history to receive this recognition. The official ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, February 13, postgame against Oklahoma City.
The NBA game against Oklahoma City begins at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast nationwide by TNT. Tickets remain available at OrlandoMagic.com or 1-800-4-NBA TIX.
Alex Martins of Orlando Magic spoke of O'Neal's significant contribution to the team and said, "Simply put, Shaquille O’Neal is the first player who officially brought the Orlando Magic into prominence."
He continued, "His influence extended beyond the court, increasing the franchise's stature. Our organization continues to feel its impact. We, the DeVos family, are thrilled to honor Shaquille by lifting No. 32 to the rafters of Center, where it'll forever be seen."
Magic Chairman Dan DeVos added, "Shaquille O’Neal has transformed our team and our city, with his dynamic gameplay, his larger-than-life persona, and his generosity to The City Beautiful."
He further said, "Our family and the entire franchise couldn't be happier to recognize Shaquille with this fitting honor that cements his lasting legacy in Orlando, as we take a look back at his impressive accomplishments in a Magic uniform."
O’Neal, chosen as the first overall pick of the 1992 NBA Draft by Orlando, played four seasons for the Magic from 1992-96. Out of 295 regular-season games, O'Neal started 293 times, boasting averages of 27.2 ppg., 12.5 rpg., 2.4 apg, and 2.79 bpg. in 37.8 mpg, while shooting a .581 percentage from the floor.
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Shaquille O'Neal's impactful legacy with the Orlando Magic
During his time with the Magic, Shaquille O'Neal received four NBA All-Star titles. Additionally, the league designated him once to the All-NBA Second Team (1994-95) and twice to the All-NBA Third Team (1993-94, 1995-96).
O'Neal's brilliant start also led to his selection to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 1992-93 and the prestigious title of NBA Rookie of the Year.
O'Neal remains a standout figure in the Magic's history books, holding positions in several all-time stats categories for the franchise—second for blocked shots (824), third in rebounding (3,691) and free throws made (1,602), fourth in field goals made (3,208), and sixth-highest scorer with 8,019 points.
His 27.2 points per game average is second-best in the team's history, a testament to his contribution in propelling the Magic to compete in the 1995 NBA Finals.
In his tenure with the Magic, O'Neal's average performance tallied at 27.2 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks in a total of 295 games.
His debut season with the Magic saw a personal best, scoring an average of 28.9 points alongside 13.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.
These powerful performances significantly contributed to the Magic's successful 57-25 track record in 1994-95, marking their first-ever appearance in the NBA Finals.
O'Neal's lasting impact on the Magic's franchise accolades continued post-retirement with his induction into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame in 2015, followed by a place in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.
Most recently, he was celebrated in the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team in October 2021.
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