SHAQUILLE O’NEAL ORLANDO MAGIC JERSEY RETIREMENT CEREMONY

SHAQUILLE O’NEAL ORLANDO MAGIC JERSEY RETIREMENT CEREMONY

Want want want up he want want he good evening again magic fans and welcome to the Shaquille O’Neal Jersey retirement ceremony it’s time to celebrate a legend a Hall of Famer that put Orlando on the map and tonight becomes the first magic player to have his jersey retired

As number 32 finds a permanent place in the rafters of the Kia Center we’re honored to welcome former teammates coaches and Executives who shared the court and the journey with number 32 former Orlando Magic athletic trainer Lenny cuier former equipment manager and current senior director of Team operations for the magic Rodney Sid

Powell former Orlando Magic assistant coach Tom sterer former Orlando Magic assistant and head coach Richie adado former Orlando Magic general manager and 1999 2000 NBA executive of the Year John Gabriel co-founder and the first general manager of the Orlando Magic Pat Williams the winningest head coach in Orlando Magic history ran

Hill Five Seasons as an Orlando Magic Guard number 14 Anthony Buo two seasons as an Orlando Magic Guard number 11 lerio Green Four Seasons as an Orlando Magic Center number 34 cig Kai one season as an Orlando Magic Center number 45 John con two seasons as an Orlando Magic Center and assistant coach number 30 Tre R six seasons as an Orlando Magic

Forward number five Donald Royal two Seasons as an Orlando Magic Center number 55 Keith to one season as an Orlando Magic forward number 12 Joe Seven Seasons as an Orlando Magic forward number 31 Jeff turn 10 seasons as an Orlando Magic Guard an alltime franchise leader in games played number 25 Nick Anderson Seven Seasons as an Orlando Magic forward an alltime franchise leader in three-point field goal number three 3D Dennis Scott six seasons as an Orlando Magic Guard and four time NBA Allstar number one penny Hardway The 1992 NBA [Applause] [Applause] draft hi Shaquille O’Neal after careful deliberation have decided to my senor eligibility at LSU Sur if the NBA would love for to go and establish that franchise even greater let’s go now to David Stern for the first selection of 1992 with the first pick in the 1992 NBA

Draft the Orlando Magic selects Shakil O’Neal from Louisiana State University and your first thing was who mean number one obviously drafting you number one is a forone conclusion we learned tonight that team bosses rich and Dick DeVos will both be flying in early tomorrow morning for a yet to be announced press

Conference we have signed a contract as of yesterday with Shaquille O’Neal is the magic have done something unprecedented they they’ve shocked the world in signing Shaquille O’Neal’s agreement marks the earliest signing of a number one draft pick since the NBA salary cap went into effect back in 1983

The Sha will make his history here wearing number 32 first of all I would like to thank my parents for for raising me well and uh I’d like to thank the Orlando Magic staff the deoss family and uh just want to thank the fans and uh no I’m just

Ready to play O’Neal runs [Applause] it never seen that hold on to the roof the sh steps through sha follows oh my goodness [Applause] bangs magic Le with acious twoed Boston guard is now [Applause] closed say why not us why not now when I retire and have children I could tell my

Son son I was bad and at Center 71 from LSU number 32 shail and now please welcome tonight’s host 2019 Orlando Magic Hall of Fame and duck D and the voice of the Orlando Magic for all 35 Seasons David steel thank you thank you very much welcome to the first jersey retirement

Ceremony for the Orlando Magic this season we are celebrating the 35th anniversary of Orlando Magic basketball we couldn’t be more excited for our program this evening it it is really going to be special we appreciate everyone and attendance that stayed and we thank everyone around the world

That’s tuned in to watch tonight as well we are here tonight to honor a man that truly turned this franchise into a global brand we’re grateful [Applause] that we’re grateful that so many of Shaquille’s former teammates were able to come out and celebrate with us this evening as well so many familiar faces

In This Crowd especially here right in front of me and it’s so great to have everybody together again tonight back in 1988 I was broadcasting games for the Florida Gator and then the Orlando Magic the Orlando Magic Came Calling and I tell you the opportunity

To to get a front row seat every night to watch the greatest athletes in Pro Sports it was too tempting to turn down those early years here in Orlando and downtown Orlando were truly magical a preseason win against the defending NBA champion Pistons was celebrated like

Game seven of the NBA Finals we had the cat man we had ice we had Reggie we had Nick and Dennis and Skyles and JT Money we had them all but one thing we didn’t have we didn’t have very much of wins those first three years they were

Few and far between but that began to change on the Fateful night of May 17th 1992 at the NBA draft lottery Pat Williams who’s here tonight he’s sat at the desk in caucus with 10 other NBA officials Pat tells the story that he had a brown paper sack under the

Table in his lap inside the sack was a magic jersey with the name O’Neal on the back you know it turns out that as Pat tells it the other 10 NBA team reps also had a shack jersey with them too but when commissioner David Stern called out

That number one pick it was Pat Williams who was able to hold up that magic jersey for the world to see [Applause] and and and everyone in the room everyone around the basketball World knew how impactful that Lottery luck would be for their orl of Magic on the

Court Shaquille O’Neal a ferocious force of nature the likes of which had never been seen better than seven feet tall sleek chiseled kening around the court throwing caution to the wind like there was no tomorrow that rookie seeson Jaa averaged 23.4 points rookie season 13.9 rebounds

And three and a half block shots per game he was he was an NBA Allstar as a rookie he was Rookie of the Year even finished seventh in the MVP voting in his time in Orlando he terrorized and dominated opponents brought down a basket in Phoenix then later that season absolutely ripped one

A basket standard down in New Jersey almost took out a couple of Net players in the process and most importantly the magic began winning some games a lot of games from 21 wins the year before his arrival to 41 wins his rookie season in his second year 50 wins and

The franchise’s first playoff appearance and then in Shaq’s thirdd year in the NBA the team’s sixth year in existence almost unheard of it was an Eastern Conference Championship and a final showdown against the Houston Rockets Shaq was all about winning but he was all also a lot of

Fun I remember a game in 1995 against Milwaukee there’s a loose ball right in front of of me and Jeff Turner sitting Courtside Shaq barreling Full Speed Ahead trying to get the ball before it goes out of bounds he Dives over the scores table and then gathers himself

Somehow enough to step over two occupied chairs behind us picks him self up as he’s climbing back over the table Jeff Turner says to him you’re going to get hurt big fella sha looked over at us gave us that crooked half smile and simply pointed to the Superman tattoo on his left

Shoulder by the way back in those days he referred to me as the other Man of Steel which was okay with me so we’re here to celebrate tonight the man who put the Orlando Magic on the [Applause] [Applause] map as I mentioned earlier we have an exciting program we’re looking forward to hearing from our lineup of speakers we’ll celebrate the legend Shaquille O’Neal now please turn your attention to the video screens well the city was already excited about having an NBA team but when sha arrived

Things were ratcheted up a couple of notches um everybody knew that he was going to be a game changer so right away I think the city the fans um sports fans in general around central Florida they understood that the things were going to get really exciting around here chat comes

Along no more flying commercial brand new plane all of a sudden it went from when you landed you had a van pick you up and you carried your bags but then when Shaq showed up brand new plane two buses a bus for the bags and a bus for the

Players what an enormous impact like it was worldwide impact not just local not just National but worldwide impact because Shaq was like bigger than life it was like the everyone knew who was he was a big guy but he was a big kid put Orlando on the map uh for

Something else other than Disney World um you know back in the early 90s mid 90s um you know when he came there uh it just it gave Orlando more of an identity everybody had signs in their Windows whether it was a restaurant or a dry cleaners or you know everybody was a

Magic fan because you know he was there and he was exciting and he was setting all kinds of Precedence he came on board it was took it to another Stratosphere ticket sales jersey sales just or Orlando Magic gear all that just took off Mark Jackson say all the time Mama there go that

Man magic fans please welcome Orlando Magic CEO Alex [Applause] Martins thank you David and good evening everyone magic fans tonight we celebrate a legend a legend that is our own a legend who began his career right here in Orlando tonight we celebrate one of the greatest players in NBA history who

Firmly put the Orlando Magic on the map in the very early years of our existence when the magic won the number one pick in 1992 draft lottery we knew he was our pick Shaquille O’Neal we all knew him as Shaq but he went by many names sha Fu sha

Diesel the big Shack Rock The Big Aristotle the big barishnikov sha Daddy and of course our original Superman after we drafted him in 1992 Shaq immediately began to establish his Legend as not just one of the greatest basketball players ever but as a pop culture icon it was evident as

Soon as he stepped off the plane from the draft right here in Orlando I remember meeting him as he stepped off the plane and there he was wearing a pair of Mickey Mouse ears Shaq the Entertainer had arrived and from there The Legend on and off the court skyrocketed the media tension that

Surrounded Shaq and our franchise immediately brought International Acclaim to our city everywhere the magic traveled it was like traveling with rock stars crowds of hundreds at our hotels on the road regardless of what time in the early hour of the morning that we arrived Shaq had put the magic on the

Map in just the first few years of our existence Shaq made an immediate impact on the court increasing our winds from 21 in 92 before he arrived and to 41 in the 9293 season just missing the Playoffs due to a tiebreaker from there our team in Shacks

Career was off and running his play on the court led us to the 1995 NBA Finals one of the fastest appearances by a new franchise in the NBA finals in NBA history this was the foundation of a legendary career as he won NBA Rookie of

The Year in his first season and went on to lead us to our first franchise playoff appearance in 19 1994 the first four of his 15 NBA All-Star appearances were with us as well as making his first all NBA teams three times during his time here in

Orlando four times he was named NBA Rookie of the month here not to mention the numerous NBA players of the week and NBA player of the month awards that he won right here in Orlando the foundation of a Hall of Fame career started right here today Shaq still ranks amongst the magic

Alltime leaders in several categories including block shots rebounds free throws made field goals made and points scored his 27.2 points per game average is still the second highest in team history and of course shaon just put the magic on the map with his play but also with

His personality as soon as Shaq arrived in Orlando he became a pop icon with his side gigs as a rapper movie star late night show guest and of course his practical jokes Shaq I will never forgive you for the day that you wrapped me up in medical

Medical tape after practice and left me at midcourt just because you didn’t want to talk to the media that day but who could forget the early morning that we arrived in Sacramento on a back-to-back West Coast game and you disguised yourself in a wig a long coat

And hat and completely faked out the hundreds of fans that were at the hotel and slid into the hotel unnoticed completely unnoticed hard to believe it but if anyone could pull it off it was Shaq and of course who could forget the broken baskets every week on on the national

Game of the week every week on NBA Inside Stuff most magic games broadcast on International television you were a global icon and you brought the world to Orlando of course this city this city will never forget you leading us into the 1995 NBA [Applause] Finals it brought our entire Community

Together the entire city wore blue and black business stopped for weeks in perhaps the greatest week in Orlando history as you carried our community on your shoulders you brought us many memories in your early career years here but those early years set the foundation for one of the best careers in NBA history

Four time NBA champion three time NBA Finals MVP NBA Most Valuable Player NBA Rookie of the Year two-time NBA scoring champion three-time NBA Allstar MVP 15 time NBA Allstar 14 time all NBA including eight-time first team NBA three time NBA all defensive team only three players in the history

Of the NBA have won the NBA MVP allstar MVP and NBA Finals MVP in the same year and you are one of [Applause] them NBA all rookie first team 12-time NBA player of the month 20time NBA player of the week four-time NBA Rookie of the month Olympic gold medalist an

NBA Basketball Hall of [Applause] Famer all of that accomplished with a start right here in Orlando Florida Shaq you are a significant part of our Orlando mag magic history and tonight we are proud to make another moment in Magic history as you become the first jersey to be retired in franchise [Applause]

History yes you can go home again Shaq we’re proud to call you our own and proud to honor you as the first player of magic history to have their number retired in the rafters here at the Kia Center as well as one of only three players in NBA history to have their

Number retired by three different teams alongside Pete Maravich and wit [Applause] Chamberlain to celebrate this moment in your Orlando Magic history please accept this one-of-a-kind custom Orlando Magic jacket designed by Jeff Hamilton Shaq congratulations He wanted to be involved in everything that was going on and uh he just didn’t show up and okay here here here’s this or that I mean he interact with everybody uh he was a part of it you know the the adults you know eyes would

Light up when they seen them and the kids just go ballistic you can’t teach that that’s the kindness of your heart um the love of your heart that you want to help people or you want to do things for people to see see people smile and

And enjoy life I think Shaq does uh all of that more on our way to the airport we get off that Orange Avenue exit and there was some you know some homeless people there and you know we both each in our pocket I think I may give a 20 he gives

The whole W I was like whoa slow down man it’s like don’t give the whole W just give him a maybe a 50 or 100 it might have been $2 or $3,000 I’m like dude we we then we get to the next exit when you turn to Sand

Lake to go to the airport see oh I can’t I can remember all this stuff he does it again I’m like dude what are you doing that’s all right I got more there was more of that versus Shaq of Claus shaqs Thanksgiving that’s that’s for the people that’s for the

Sponsors y’all don’t know the ones I know that’s changed lives or you something pops up on social media and he buys that family had 10 or 12 kids yeah that’s that’s good that’s for social media yes there there’s one there’s 10 more I know that y’all know about that’s bigger than [Applause]

That magic fans please welcome Orlando Magic chairman Dan Devon thank you David thank you all for joining us for this very special evening on behalf of the entire DeVos family many who are joined us here this evening we could not be more excited about this special celebration sha you represent present

Magic basketball in so many ways and we are honored to further cement your legacy here this evening I know a couple important people who wish they were here tonight Philip Harrison and my father Rich DeVos but I know that they are smiling down on us as we recognize your incredible career and

We also so glad to rep to welcome your mother Dr Lucille O’Neal and your family to celebrate this occasion with us also it is also amazing to see all these people other Orlando basketball Legends and members of our magic family in this building to show respect and gratitude

For the impact that you have had on their lives and the lives of so many others as an organization our family and the magic have always sought to unite to unite players fans and this community around something bigger Shaq it’s safe to say you embody this Spirit better

Than anyone you’re Larger than Life personality your dominant play and dedication and your generous contributions both in the game of basketball and in this great City will never be forgotten and you can be sure that you will be forever remembered as tonight we lift your jersey into these [Applause]

Rafters the Magic’s Mission has long been to be Champions on and off the court and we are proud to honor you as a champion of the magic and of Central Florida here tonight it is hard to imagine what basketball would be like today in the city without your impact

You have you have made all of us dream bigger you are part of our magic family and our story simply cannot be told without you our Journeys in this league really began at about the same time you helped to put Orlando on the NBA map not

Only on court but also by always giving back particularly to the children of Central Florida I know my dad I I know my dad would often speak about how Sports provide a unique opportunity to connect with and impact the local community and you absolutely seized that opportunity I believe one of the first

Questions dad asked you when you were ready for the pressure of being the face of the franchise and I think that that we are celebrating together is a definite answer to that question your success of this game your dedication to this community are deserving of the highest honor which is

Why we are so thrilled to recognize you as the first player to have his jersey retired in Magic history in recognition of this tremendous achievement and your now retired number 32 as we all know the deos Family Foundation is proud to present a [Applause] Shaquille raises the level of attention but he also raises the level of play so that all of a sudden we became this winning team a winning basketball team that’s competing to be in the playoffs competing for championships Shaq means a lot to the game um I think he was the most Domin

You know to ever play when penny comes I say well Nick I say we our lives are changeed for the better kind of looked at me I said I know who I am I hope you know who you are we’re not sha and Penny so being

Able to check your ego and say yes we’re getting ready to get on these coattails right here and when Shaq tries to shoot a jump shot like Patrick y I’m cussing his big tail out and tell him get back in the post and I’m going feed you until you

Get tired yo I’m tired man he going to start shooting them thre yes I need you to get double cuz it’s going to be life easier for me that’s sacrifice play with him he made my job very easy just throwing him the ball he get double team

Throw it back out to me and then that’s how I got my points so made my life very easy an amazing thing about Shaq is uh how powerful he was how many times he could get to the rim Shaq could do that just go over guys around guys through

Guys guys would hang on him like a Christmas tree ornament or something like that he’s a generational Talent all right our next group of speakers we all a part of that onc Court success we saw during Shaquille O’Neal’s tenure with the magic first up please welcome the winningest coach in Orlando

Magic history 2022 Hall of Fame inductee current Valley Sports Florida analyst coach Brian Hill I’m going to go in a different direction right now before I get into you as a basketball player I want to let everybody in this building know the impact that you’ve had on me and my family my wife Kay and I our children were’re all Avid tennis

Players Kay and I getting up in years a little bit we make sure that we all have a lifetime supply of Icy Hot to take care of us after we get done playing tennis we have a lot of cars in our family too and every one of those cars ensured by the

General and every Friday night when we order those shakaroni pizzas you can only drink Pepsi with your shakaroni pizza now you were pushing Buick for a while and I went and looked at the Buick but I was like n that’s just not me so I

Went out and bought AIA I hope you don’t mind big fella you came into the league your combination of size strength and athleticism was something that really hadn’t been seen in the NBA until you came in your agility your talent your basketball IQ you were a game changer from the day

That you came into the NBA together with your teammates our ride to the 95 finals was the 95 playoffs culminating with with an appearance in the 95 finals galvanized this entire city of Orlando at that time which was not an NBA City and established the magic as an elite franchise in the [Applause]

NBA I thank you for the incredible memories of our four years together as coach and player but especially your commitment to ex excellence and to winning I want to congratulate you you are without question the greatest player in Orlando Magic [Applause] history your jersey will hang forever in

The rafters in this building as a constant Remer reminder of the greatness that you brought to the magic franchise and to the entire NBA you’re the best I love [Applause] you and now please welcome penny hway [Applause] good evening Orlando good evening Orlando I’m so happy to be back home

This is home to me so thank you guys so much for making me feel at home right now I want to thank first and foremost the divos family they were so influential IAL in making all of this happen so thank you guys so much for everything that you did for us and this

Whole entire crew thank you big fellow my brother first off man I want to congratulate you tonight is is definitely deserving but I want to go even further not the only Champion you but the father you are and the son that you are to see in your family right

There this is sha family and his beautiful mother give it up for them it’s bigger than basketball it really is I also want to congratulate you on your career man I wanted to win a championship with you so badly but I did admire everything that you did moving

Forward I did everything that you did from when I first saw you when you got here when I got here you were just a big that ran the floor exceptionally well dunked everything and just intimidated everybody to a jump hook and then a fade away you started working on your game

Every single year and I started seeing it and I knew that you were going to keep going higher and higher every year because that’s that’s how you drove yourself but you also drove me in in the same way you made me great watching you become [Applause]

Great there’s no way I make a first team all NBA there’s no way I make an All-Star team there’s no way I want a gold medal in 96 with you without you being there to help thrust me and keep driving me to the next level so I I owe

My entire career to having you in my life bro just to see it [Applause] the funny thing is you know Shaq was telling the story about blue chips and who is this actor you know he’s just he’s so charismatic and funny but I made sure every day on the movie Blue Chips

Because we played regular basketball we didn’t act that I didn’t shoot one ball all summer I passed him the ball every time I knew where my bread was buttered and I wanted to be an Orlando Magic player to play with him in his career because I love magic John John I know he

Idolized Kareem Abdul Jabar and I felt like we could do some serious things together here in Orlando and we did it was special being here with him it sure [Applause] was I just hope that you cherish this day with your family with your former teammates myself it was an honor to be

Here I wouldn’t miss it for the world I have to leave tomorrow to have a game I’m the coach at Memphis now if you guys don’t know I wouldn’t miss I wouldn’t have missed it for the world brother I love you man [Applause] please welcome number three 3D henis SC oh oh man man oh man Orlando how you feel tonight Orlando how do you feel tonight so I’mma start off because my mom couldn’t be here tonight so I’m GNA start off thanking Mama Lucille please stand up and give Mama Lucille a lot of love cuz she raised this big

Knucklehead love you mom my mom told you to tell you love you baby the next person I want to thank is Pat Williams because being in Philadelphia he flew down to Central Florida and convinced David Stern made rest easy that you guys would love NBA basketball Pat Williams thank you thank

You I also want to thank a gentleman who believed in myself who believed in Penny who believed in Nick and Shaq to get this thing started John gave Gabriel without John Gabriel believing in us this franchise doesn’t get started and get going the way it’s going so the biggest question I’ve

Gotten since we knew this jersey retirement night was coming is what was Shaq’s impact well I think we all know that tvwise winning wise becoming internationally known is because of him thank you for saying that so the other day they asked what’s the similarities between Shaq and Paulo I said it’s

Simple they’re great people first they’re great people first basketball takes care of itself because they love the game and they put in the work that’s why they’re great at basketball well we’ve all been around this game a long time what makes a Hall of Famer super special is when the are

Great people that’s why I love this man right he’s a great [Applause] person someone mentioned Shaq being the Entertainer I would have never thought all those nights in the back of the plane one album went gold one album went platinum one album went wood right now

You’re DJ diesel in front of 3,000 4,000 people a night after basketball I would have never thought that the end of the plane Jeff that that’s what he’s doing now David steel where are you you over here so David steel and I had a show called The Dennis Scott show he was my

Host and we’re at Shaq’s house being foolish doing what we do my phone rings and my assistant says where are you I said I’m chilling I’m at Shacks house we’re we’re supposed to be at a show it’s the show tonight I’m like oh snap sh said I’ll be back runs

Upstairs to his closet comes downstairs with two rosarian wigs and we show up to the show hey man hey David man we’re sorry we’re late man sha Tire floir down h a flat tire am I lying so I share that story to close up I never thought

That after basketball we’d be doing a show called shaon The Fool I’m going through the airport people are saying yo you and Shaq are crazy so if you notice I haven’t talked much about basketball because that’s how we connected we connected as men first as young crazy kids at 22 years old

Basketball was basketball but being people and having fun with life our mothers being best friends now our kids communicate Nerf friends to me that’s bigger than basketball so last one I’ll share as Nick and I were just conversing about it Penny Shaq I promise you guys Nick and I

Would laugh and say man these two about to take us to a whole another level so they took us this whole city of Orlando to a whole another level so as I close big fell I love you we will always be [Applause] foolish orille O’Neal from Louisiana State

University from the day he was drafted a whirlwind of excitement swept through the city fresh out of LSU we knew the impact would be huge but it was more like a delu Title Wave of get out the way boom glass shattered backboards were battered they changed the rules y’all

Know who Shaq diesel that’s fuel that’s Magic first drafted in ’92 Rookie of the Year in 93 by 95 he dominated the East and we proceeded with banners in the Rapids made us imagine a future chapter as Champions a franchise forever attached to his legacy sweet memor Lane

Are actual memories in the lane I’m just saying you deserve this the first NBA phenon to drop both buckets and only athlete to go platinum with a rap album twiz more like a philosophy that anybody believe in that obstacles was in the palm of your hand the first

Basketball entity to color old cultural identity tell the truth from rebounds to the booth post moves to movies and a brand a force of nature fueled with every slam we just want to say thank you glad you expanded the brand Rebox to the big pod and everything in between 19 Seasons

To celebrate and the first four with this team it is time to tailor make these flowers for you in your Prime of Life all pride aside receive your Shine from the city beautiful big fella that size 22 still leaves a footprint in these Avenues a tsunami of a center 32

De freezing the coldest big man in your era four rings later and legendary Hall of Famer in 407 you’ll forever have favor Larger than Life and life full of flavor your humor and giving nature is a model for youth to follow and partly defined what it means to be a man of

Steel we retired this jersey number from the rafs in celebration of a basketball icon with infectious laughter Orlando’s original Superman Shaquille rashan O’Neal Forever a magic Legend number 32 Shak [Applause] I want to say uh thank you so much I have many Wonder wonderful Magic Magical memories there’s no other place I would have wanted to start my career [Applause] Orlando Orlando will forever have a special place in my heart it’s a real it’s cuam get it

Right it’s a real honor to be the first Orlando Magic player to get his jersey retired although I would have expected to be number two Nick Anderson come up here always start if are going to do retired jerseys you should be the first you the first Superstar here in Orlando [Applause]

And I appreciate you you know for sacrificing for me you could have took the shot every time but you threw it in so again so I I I definitely want to come back here when your jersey gets retired so thank you very much stay up here Penny Hardway get up here [Applause]

Penny you told a lie in your speech you said that you wouldn’t have been you if it wasn’t for me I could say the same thing brother uh I owe you everything you know I didn’t know who you was and then we started shooting Blue Chips and you know was in my

Contract my agent Len we put in our contract that we play ball every day and I went to him I said who is this damn actor throwing me the ball every time was he in the NBA they said yes Penny Hardway and I can remember Dennis saying

Hey man you got to go upstairs and you know tell them tell them you want P your hard away so I I called John and I said John you know about this guy Penny hway said well we can’t get him I said well John you need to get him so they picked

Chris Weber and I was eating some Papa John’s and eating Pepsi and I T my damn house up I was like damn it John and then John and Alex called me said watch this then they said David Stern said they made a trade and you know when

Penny came here I know he was going to do some special things so I appreciate you very much and I wouldn’t be here without you so stay up here cuz even though you guys are celebrating me this is definitely our night and I want you guys to celebrate this night with me uh

Tracy McGrady is another player who have his jersey retired Dennis Scott get up here we could tell when Dennis was speaking we could tell he was a little drunk but that’s okay special night tonight Dennis was the guy that told me how to be a professional when I first got here I

Didn’t know anything about anything me and my greedy family we stayed at the Airport Hilton our bill was 96,000 and then Dennis came and said hey man you got to get a house I was like I don’t know how to get a house I thought

The magic was going to do that for me so he he introduced me to a realtor I got my mom and dad a house in Lake Mary I got myself a house in hour worth and he just taught me how to be professional so again guys are celebrating me but I

Wouldn’t be here without you guys especially you guys so again Grant Hill is another guy who can have his jersey retired so you know they had the Ring of ceremony I think four or five years ago and I actually thought I was getting my jersey retired that night and then I

Went upstairs and we did a little thing in the press conference like when am I getting my jersey re I was like no they don’t do that here I was like damn but I admit 32 looks good up there thank you if I had two wishes

Today if I had two wishes today my first wish would be is that my father Sergeant Philip Harrison was here tonight without him my success thank you without my father my success and accomplishments in basketball would not have been realized he believed in me even when I struggled

To believe in myself he gave me guidance he gave me encouragement he gave me discipline he gave me ass whooping so this honor is for him too and my second wish I wish your legendary Rich theal was also in attendance he saw potential in the young kid from

LSU he took a chance on me and for that I am forever grateful to him your legacy endures sir and your impact on my life will never be forgotten also I want to thank Dan DeVos Alex Martins for his recognition special shout out to my mama [Applause] Lucille for her unwavering support and

Unconditional love and her ass whooping also love you mommy also want to thank my seven children will never stop inspiring me to be a better father and a better [Applause] man also want to thank my brother Jamal and my sister Latifah and hopefully my other sister Aisha is in heaven watching

This ceremony alongside my father and Mr DeVos I want to thank the whole Orlando Magic organization former teammates here guys come on up here with me everybody come on up Greg Joe wolf Todd you used to fou the out of me in practice you come on up here too Donald

Royal terl green Joe wolf Keith Tower tree Rollins John conat Greg kite all the former team teammates that I play with coaches coach hill come on up here doesn’t coach doesn’t coach H look like Bob Barker coach I’m not into elderly men but goddamn you look beautiful sir and thanks to John

Gabriel Pat Williams and I want to thank the fans I know you guys could have been anywhere you stayed for me appreciate you stand thank you for giving me the opportunity to wear the blue and white Orlando will forever hold a special place in my heart I’ll always be proud

To be part of this magic franchise thank you all and I appreciate you very much and thank you guys without you guys there would be no me Greg lat all you guys I want you to stand up here with me me because it’s never about me

It’s about us and I couldn’t be me without you guys especially jtmf money and the MF stands for exactly what you think it stands for jtmf money so I want to appreciate you guys thanks for coming out and to and to the the divos family whenever you want me to quit TNT and

Come back home you give me a call I’ll be here in an instant love you guys thank you for coming out drive safe magic fans one more time for number 32 Sh Now Can’t You

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