Orlando Magic retire Shaquille O'Neal's No. 32 jersey

Anthony Valmoria
Feb 14 2024

The Orlando Magic retired the jersey of Hall-of-Fame center Shaquille O’Neal in a ceremony on Tuesday night at the Kia Center in Orlando. This is the first jersey retirement in Orlando’s franchise history.

O’Neal, selected No. 1 overall by the Magic in 1992, was the first superstar to set foot in Orlando. He led the team to its first NBA Finals appearance and his five seasons with the Magic included plenty of highlight-reel plays and multiple All-Star appearances. 

“Out of all the ceremonies, this is the most exciting,” O’Neal said. “At LSU, I knew it was going to happen. The Lakers, I kind of forced it to happen. Now, in Orlando, I never thought this day would happen. To be the first is definitely an honor."

This moment marks a historic achievement for O’Neal as he becomes the fourth NBA player to have his jersey retired by three different franchises, joining an elite list that features all-time greats Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Pete Maravich. “The Big Diesel” also has his jersey retired by the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat after he led them to championships.

Watch the full ceremony below: