More Orlando Magic Information

The Magic joined the NBA as part of a four-team, two-year expansion. The Miami Heat and the Charlotte Hornets began play during the 1988-89 season, and the Magic and the Minnesota Timberwolves joined the league a year later. Orlando won only 18 games in its first season, but with rookie Dennis Scott joining Nick Anderson and veteran point guard Scott Skiles in the 1990-91 season, the team improved its win-loss record to 31-51. The Magic's luck in drafting top players continued in 1992, when the franchise won the rights to the number-one pick in that year's draft of college players. The club selected Shaquille O'Neal, a 7-ft 1-in (2.1-m), 301-lb (136.5-kg) center who left Louisiana State University after his junior year.

O'Neal's impact on the club and the NBA was instant. In his fourth professional game O'Neal recorded 31 points and 21 rebounds. He also became the first player in NBA history to win player of the week honors in his first week in the league. For the season the Magic logged a 41-41 win-loss record, but the team failed to make the playoffs. Because it had the best record among all non-playoff teams, the Magic owned only one chance out of 60 to win the top pick in the 1993 NBA draft. But the Magic's name came up first, giving them the top pick for the second year in a row. The club selected forward Chris Webber and then traded him to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for the rights to Penny Hardaway and three future first-round draft choices.