ORLANDO MAGIC FRANCHISE HISTORY
Previous Franchise Names: None
Principal Owner: Rich DeVos, Dan DeVos
CEO: Alex Martins
General Manager: Rob Hennigan
Head Coach: Scott Skiles
Best Season: 1995-96 (60-22, .732)
Playoff Appearances: 14
NBA Championships: 0
Basketball: Orlando Magic Shaquille O’Neal (L) and Anfernee Penny Hardaway (R) on bench during game vs Denver Nuggets at Orlando Arena. Orlando, FL 12/14/1994 CREDIT: Ben Van Hook (Photo by Ben Van Hook /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X47547 )
The Orlando Magic have been synonymous in their 27-year history with big men being taken first overall in the draft, reaching the NBA Finals twice in team history.
Their 1995 run was led by Shaquille O’Neal, the No. 1 overall selection in the 1992 NBA Draft. In 2009, Orlando returned to the Finals behind Dwight Howard, the top overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft.
But Orlando has just 14 postseason appearances in 27 seasons and dropped both of those Finals trips—being swept by the Houston Rockets in 1995 and losing in five games to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009.
The Magic entered the NBA along with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1989, reaching the postseason for the first time in 1993-94.
O’Neal left to sign with the Lakers after the 1995-96 season and Anfernee Hardaway, the team’s other All-Star, had his effectiveness cut short by knee problems.
The Magic signed All-Star Grant Hill in 2000, but his tenure was wracked by ankle injuries and Tracy McGrady, acquired in 2000 as well, wasn’t able to shoulder the load on his own.
Orlando hasn’t been back to the playoffs since trading Howard to the Lakers in the summer of 2012.
Current coach Scott Skiles returned to Orlando in 2015 after spending five seasons with Orlando as a player, including setting an NBA single-game record with 30 assists in a win over the Denver Nuggets on Dec. 30, 1990.
Brian Hill, who did two tours on the Orlando bench, is the franchise’s winningest coach at 267-192 and 18-22 in the playoffs. Hill led the Magic from 1993-94 through 49 games of the 1996-97 season and returned to coach the club in 2005-06 and 2006-07.
Orlando Magic Career Leaders (as of 3/9/2016)
- Games, Nick Anderson, 692
- Points, Dwight Howard, 11435
- Rebounds, Dwight Howard, 8072
- Assists, Jameer Nelson, 3501
- Steals, Nick Anderson, 1004
- Blocks, Dwight Howard, 1344
ORLANDO, FL – FEBRUARY 06: Dwight Howard #12 of the Orlando Magic smiles during the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Amway Center on February 6, 2012 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Orlando Magic Retired Numbers
- 6, The Sixth Man
Orlando Magic Official Links
Official Team Site: nba.com/magic
Official Twitter Handle: @orlandomagic
Official Facebook Page: Orlando Magic
Official Instagram Page: Orlando Magic
Official Arena Page: Amway Center
Orlando Magic Beat Writers
Josh Robbins, Orlando Sentinel, @joshuabrobbins
John Denton, OrlandoMagic.com, @johndenton555
Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel, @magicinsider
Related Orlando Magic Blogs and Links
Orlando Magic Logo History, courtesy of Chris Creamer’s Sportslogos.net
Salary Page: Orlando Magic Salaries at Spotrac
FanSided Orlando Magic: Orlando Magic Daily
SB Nation Orlando Magic: Orlando Pinstriped Post
HoopsHabit Orlando Magic Archive: Orlando Magic
Bleacher Report Orlando Magic Team Stream: Orlando Magic
RealGM Orlando Magic Page: Orlando Magic
Stats and retired number information courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com
