Shaquille O’Neal helped put the Orlando Magic on the map, and 28 years after he left, the team announced they’re finally sending his number 32 to the rafters. O'Neal will become the first player in franchise history to have his number retired when the ceremony takes place on Feb. 13 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Magic drafted O'Neal first overall in the 1992 NBA Draft. He spent four years in Orlando and averaged 27.2 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.79 blocks and 2.4 assists per game. A four-time All-Star with the Magic, he’s second in franchise history in blocks (824), rebounds (3,691) and points (8,019). He entered the team’s Hall of Fame in 2015.
Orlando is the third franchise to retire O'Neal's number. The Lakers retired his number 34 in 2013 and the Heat retired his number 32 in 2016, the same year he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Shaq recently launched “The Big Podcast Network” with Playmaker HQ, which serves as the home of his “The Big Podcast”.
"The Big Podcast Network will prioritize and uplift fresh and diverse voices that will expand the conversation beyond sports to include music, fashion and entertainment," O'Neal announced in a statement through Action Network's and Playmaker's shared parent company, Better Collective.
New episodes of his popular podcast release every Thursday throughout the NBA Season. It’ll be joined soon by new athletes and creators as part of The Big Podcast Network.
Follow The Big Podcast on social media platforms and subscribe to its YouTube channel or download new episodes wherever you listen to podcasts.
