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I just read a recent write-up by Philip Rossman-Reich about Magic alumni that made the NBA 75, with Shaq being our headliner.

It got me thinking that he deserves for his jersey to be retired by the Magic.

I get the argument against the notion, but we can't deny that he put this team on the map. He got us into the playoffs for the first time and with Penny into The Finals.

I would argue that without Shaq, we may not have had T-Mac, Dwight and the Amway Center.

His four years here did more for us than it did for him, and it benefited him a ton.

Despite his ugly exit and not bringing a championship, retiring his jersey is a show of recognition not only to him, but also a symbol that without him, there wouldn't be a jersey to retire in Orlando.

why not?

The Lakers retired his Jersey and that breakup was not pretty/

I like Shaq, despite the messy exit he has re-acquainted himself with the franchise somewhat in recent years. I’d be all for it.

Screw Shaq. We should retire #1 twice (Penny and T-Mac) and nick's #25

I mean we already put him in our HoF; might as well. We aren't hanging anything else up there anytime soon.

Horcy wrote:Screw Shaq. We should retire #1 twice (Penny and T-Mac) and nick's #25

Retire all of them.

Shaq and Penny made Magic be known all over the world, and Nick for the overall history here.

He was here 4 years and he took us to the NBA Finals once and got swept. That's less than 1/4 of his career. i'd rather retire Dwight's jersey than Shaq's, he was here twice as long. 50 years from now when people think about Shaq, they're going to remember L.A. and Miami. When people think of Dwight, they'll at least still think of Orlando and then how he his career crumbled after he left. And just to be clear, I don't think we should retire Dwight's jersey either, lol. But I'd get behind that one before Shaq.

MoMM wrote:

Horcy wrote:Screw Shaq. We should retire #1 twice (Penny and T-Mac) and nick's #25

Retire all of them.

Shaq and Penny made Magic be known all over the world, and Nick for the overall history here.

Yes. They are basically the reason why I'm a Magic fan (actually Penny much more than Shaq)
But he left, then he never came back and even went to Miami. I don't know...

I wouldn't retire any player's jersey. Shaq wasn't here long enough, didn't win a title, and left on bad terms.

We have a team HOF, and that's good enough for Shaq, Penny, Dwight, Nick, etc.

While we're at it, is #6 still retired for "The Fans"? If so, please quietly un-retire it, already. That was always silly.

I wonder who will be our first player jersey retirement. Dwight?

Anti Chalmers wrote:I wonder who will be our first player jersey retirement. Dwight?

I do not agree that O'neal would have his jersey retired. He is 20th in Magic games played and was only here for 4 seasons. Howard in contrast played for Orlando for 8 seasons and will earn his Hall of Fame credentials from his Magic years. In 8 yers, he is 3rd in Magic games played.

Howard shouyld have his jersey retired. But after Anderson.

Nick Anderson is Mr. Magic for me. And it is not even close for me to consider another player.


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drsd wrote:

Anti Chalmers wrote:I wonder who will be our first player jersey retirement. Dwight?

I do not agree that O'neal would have his jersey retired. He is 20th in Magic games played and was only here for 4 seasons. Howard in contrast played for Orlando for 8 seasons and will earn his Hall of Fame credentials from his Magic years. In 8 yers, he is 3rd in Magic games played.

Howard shouyld have his jersey retired. But after Anderson.

Nick Anderson is Mr. Magic for me. And it is not even close for me to consider another player.


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Agreed, Anderson should be the first jersey for his loyalty alone. It's not like he was a bad player either...

I actually like the policy of no jersey retirements until we win the championship.

Also, Shaq likely would not be the first jersey retired.

Absolutly not. Id rather hang Dwight then Shaq.

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F*** Shaq

Dwight and only Dwight at this point.

No love for jameer?

What about Travis Diener?

Nobody's jersey should be retired until the chip is here.

Not Dwight, not Shaq, not Nick, not Penny, not Tracy, not Bo, not Darrell not nobody.

We should retire this thread. Why would we retire the jersey of a dude that bolted the first chance he got?