In June 2023, Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal demanded that the Orlando Magic, the franchise he started his NBA career with, retire his jersey and hang it in the rafters. The team heard his wishes and surprised their former star by announcing live on NBA on TNT that they’ll have a ceremony and make him the first player in the franchise’s history to have their jersey retired.
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The NBA on TNT crew was congratulating O’Neal when co-host Ernie Johnson noted that the Magic were only one of three teams, alongside the Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors, not to have a jersey hanging in the rafters. Then Charles Barkley‘s twisted sense of humour came to the fore. He claimed that Orlando did not want to retire O’Neal’s #32 jersey before the retired superstar demanded it. He said:
“They tried to wait him out until he was gone!”
O’Neal brushed off Barkley’s remark, knowing he was joking. He expressed gratitude to the Magic for their gesture and reminisced about his time with the franchise. He spoke about his rapid ascend to the top of the league during his four-year stint with the team. He reminded Johnson of an interview they did when he was 18 and told the veteran caster that he wanted to be like Charles Barkley.
Despite spending only four years with the franchise, O’Neal ranks sixth in points, third in rebounds, second in blocks, and first in player efficiency rating for the Magic. He led them to their first NBA Finals appearance in his third season with the team and was part of the only team to eliminate Michael Jordan from the playoffs after he won his first ring in 1991.
The honour is undoubtedly well-deserved.
Shaquille O’Neal recalls mistakenly believing Magic were retiring his jersey
Shaquille O’Neal knew the Magic announcing his jersey retirement would be a surprise reveal. However, his belief tricked him into falling into a trap he laid himself. Explaining how, O’Neal said:
“A couple of years ago, [the Magic] did the ring of honor and I thought I was getting my jersey retired. So I went there, I am waiting to do the thing. They take me to the top floor [of the arena] and they just had a wall. They did this [mural], they did the press conference and that was it.”
O’Neal’s disappointment from back then must’ve made this surprise announcement even sweeter. The Magic will become the third team to retire the three-time Finals MVP’s jersey. The Lakers were the first to retire his jersey, immortalizing his #34 to the rafters in 2013. The franchise also installed an O’Neal statue outside their home stadium in 2017.
A year before getting a statue outside the Crypto.com Center, O’Neal had his jersey retired by the Miami Heat. He spent four seasons with the franchise and helped them win their first NBA title in 2006. He’s only of six players to have his jersey hanging in the rafters in the Heat’s home stadium.
When the Magic honour O’Neal on February 13th, he’ll become only the fourth player in NBA history to have his jersey retired by three franchises. Boston Celtics icon and 11-time NBA champion Bill Russell’s #6 jersey throughout the league after his passing in 2022. Wilt Chamberlain’s jersey is hanging in the rafters of the Lakers, Golden State Warriors, and Philadelphia 76ers’ home stadium. Pete Marvavich also has his jersey retired by three franchises. The Atlanta Hawks, Utah Jazz, and New Orleans Pelicans have honoured the legendary guard.
Twelve other players, including Michael Jordan, have their jerseys retired by two franchises. But O’Neal is an exclusive club with only four members.
