This is an old revision of the document!
Table of Contents
Orlando Magic
Team Birth Year
The Orlando Magic were founded in 1989 as part of the NBA’s expansion.1)
Name Inspiration
The name “Magic” was inspired by Orlando’s tourism slogan, “The Magic of Orlando.”2)
Founding Father
Pat Williams, a former Philadelphia 76ers executive, spearheaded the campaign to bring an NBA team to Orlando.3)
Naming Contest
The team name was chosen through a fan contest, receiving over 4,000 submissions.4)
Rejected Names
Other finalist names included Heat, Tropics, and Juice, but “Magic” was selected.5)
Expansion Peers
The Magic were part of the NBA’s late-'80s expansion along with Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat, and Charlotte Hornets.6)
Original Arena
The Magic played their first 21 seasons at the Orlando Arena, later renamed the TD Waterhouse Centre.7)
Modern Home
Since 2010, the team plays at the Amway Center in downtown Orlando.8)
State-of-the-Art Facility
The Amway Center is recognized for its modern design and eco-friendly features.9)
Attendance Milestone
The Magic sold out all 41 home games in their inaugural season.10)
First Game
Orlando played its first game on November 4, 1989, against the New Jersey Nets.11)
First Points Scorer
Reggie Theus scored the first points in franchise history.12)
First Win
Their first-ever victory came in their second game, against the New York Knicks.13)
First Season Record
The Magic finished their first season with a 18–64 record.14)
Shaq Era Begins
In 1992, the Magic drafted Shaquille O’Neal with the No. 1 pick.15)
Penny Magic
In 1993, they traded Chris Webber for Penny Hardaway and three future first-round picks.16)
First Finals Appearance
Orlando reached the NBA Finals in 1995, just six years after their founding.17)
Shaq Leaves
O’Neal departed for the Lakers in 1996, shocking the franchise.18)
Dwight Howard Drafted
In 2004, the Magic selected Dwight Howard as the No. 1 overall pick.19)
2009 Finals Run
Behind Howard, the Magic returned to the NBA Finals in 2009.20)
Fastest Finals Team
The Magic became the fastest expansion team to reach the NBA Finals (in 1995).21)
Most Wins in a Season
The Magic won a franchise-best 60 games in the 1995–96 season.22)
Most Playoff Appearances
The team has made the NBA playoffs over 16 times.23)
Best Regular Season Coach
Stan Van Gundy holds the best regular-season win percentage in team history.24)
Jersey Retirements
The Magic have no retired player numbers, but they retired the No. 6 for the fans.25)
Hall of Famers
Shaquille O’Neal, Grant Hill, and Tracy McGrady are Magic alumni inducted into the Hall of Fame.26)
Penny & Shaq Duo
The Hardaway-O’Neal combo was one of the NBA’s most popular duos in the mid-'90s.27)
Scoring Leader
Dwight Howard leads the franchise in total points, rebounds, and blocks.28)
Triple-Double First
The first Magic player to record a triple-double was Scott Skiles.29)
Assist Record
Skiles also holds the NBA record for most assists in a game with 30, set in 1990.30)