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Orlando Magic Top 25: The Nos. 1-5 best players in Orlando Magic history

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic jumps wearing a Superman Cape in the Sprite Slam-Dunk Contest at the New Orleans Arena during the 2008 NBA All-Star Weekend February 16, 2008 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Howard won the contest with his series of dunks. AFP PHOTO TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)
Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic jumps wearing a Superman Cape in the Sprite Slam-Dunk Contest at the New Orleans Arena during the 2008 NBA All-Star Weekend February 16, 2008 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Howard won the contest with his series of dunks. AFP PHOTO TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images) /
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3. Anfernee Hardaway (1994-99)

High/Low: 3/4

By Philip Rossman-Reich

There is nothing quite as exciting as a player who defies all explanation, doing things no one had seen before. Shaquille O’Neal was all brute power and strength. He was the bruising center every team needed, mixed with a dash of athleticism.

Anfernee Hardaway? He was Magic Johnson with speed and flair. He was a shooting guard with incredible vision to pass the ball and run a team. He was unbridled joy and athleticism on the floor — a mix of grace and power in a package that was incredibly special.

It is hard to describe accurately what watching Hardaway for the first time was like. He was the perfect complement to O’Neal in every year. A sudden burst of energy and a quiet confidence and fire to add to the roster.

Hardaway had all the speed to get to the basket whenever he wanted. He had all the tools to be one of the best players of all time. He was every bit the star O’Neal was and as important as any player.

There may not have been a more popular star in Magic history. He was just sublime to watch play.

Injuries, as they so often have in Magic history, robbed him of the rest of his career. An ankle injury and a knee injury slowed him down. The power and speed were gone. The grace and beauty were only seen in flashes after that.

And things began to turn on Hardaway. His frustrations boiled over as fans waited for him to return to health. It never truly happened. And like the Magic’s brief flirtation with contention, Hardaway’s star dimmed eventually too.

There is still no denying the endless possibility of those good times. At his best, Hardaway was truly transformative. He willed the Magic to two Playoff wins at home against the Miami Heat in 1997 with back-to-back 40-point games.

He transformed what it could mean to be a point guard in many ways. And is clearly one of the best players ever to wear a Magic uniform, if not a representation for all the franchise could be.