The Orlando Magic retired legendary player Shaquille O'Neal's number 32 jersey during a ceremony held last night.
Following their 127-113 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Magic held a ceremony to retire O'Neal's number 32 jersey, making Shaq the first player in franchise history to have his jersey retired.
Stating that he never expected the Magic to retire his jersey, Shaq said the following at the ceremony:
"They say, 'Never forget where you came from.' And my professional career started here. I've lived here for most of my life. The fans and the people in general have always been welcoming. I never thought this would happen. There couldn't have been a better place to start my career. Orlando will always have a special place in my heart."
Having already had his number 34 jersey retired by the Los Angeles Lakers and his number 32 jersey by the Miami Heat, O'Neal became the third player in history to have his jersey retired by three different teams, joining Wilt Chamberlain and Pete Maravich.
During his career with the Magic, O'Neal averaged 27.2 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks in 295 games, leading the team to the NBA Finals in 1995, where they were defeated by the Houston Rockets.
News Source: 12punto
