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A BIG3 and NBA JAM duo for the Orlando Magic

By Philip Rossman-Reich

CLEVELAND - FEBRUARY 9: Anfernee Hardaway #1 of the Orlando Magic shoots a lay up during the game during the 1997 NBA All-Star Game played on February 9, 1997 at Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1997 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
CLEVELAND - FEBRUARY 9: Anfernee Hardaway #1 of the Orlando Magic shoots a lay up during the game during the 1997 NBA All-Star Game played on February 9, 1997 at Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1997 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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With little going on in the actual basketball world, we look to some basketball distractions and ponder the Orlando Magic’s all-time NBA JAM and BIG3 teams.

With NBA Summer League ending, there is no more basketball until Eurobasket starts up in late August. That is a long time to go without some form of basketball.

To get our basketball fix until then, there are a few options. Video games and the BIG3.

For most of us, there is still probably a lot of game left to play in NBA2K17 (I am just working to the end of my first season in My League. .  . and, yes, I got the Orlando Magic into the Playoffs). But the ultimate in NBA video games remains NBA JAM.

The arcade-style 2-on-2 basketball game revolutionized arcade gaming and NBA video games. The original NBA JAM and its sequel, NBA JAM Tournament Edition, are still the gold standard for NBA video games. They still stand the test of time and resonate culturally.

How much so?

Sports Illustrated wrote a fantastic oral history of the game in a recent issue — it includes the anecdote that Shaquille O’Neal had a NBA JAM arcade console in his house and one traveling with him to road games that would meet him in his hotel room as a rookie.

"I bought a couple machines and had tournaments at my house. One of my friends was in the arcade industry; I’d call him [on road trips] and say, “I’m coming to Philly, do you know anybody?” I’d have them put the game in my hotel room. I was young and had so much money, I didn’t really care. Rent it for a night, two nights, the weekend."

The league tried to reboot NBA JAM — and continues to release a new edition for mobile devices. But nothing beats the original.

The Orlando Magic were not a bad team in the game either. It featured rookie Shaquille O’Neal playing alongside Scott Skiles. The Tournament Edition featured Shaquille O’Neal with Anfernee Hardaway and Nick Anderson.

To say, the least we continue — and will continue — to name our NBA JAM duos every year for the current Magic squad (you can see our 2016 and 2017 squads here… and I would bet a 2018 squad is on its way). The game still resonates culturally with NBA fans in a very deep way.

The one thing we have not done yet is to name an all-time Orlando Magic NBA JAM squad. And thanks to the oral history, Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated can get the conversation started.

Woo named an all-time NBA JAM team for every franchise in the league, with the caveat that a player can only appear for one franchise, and came up with a solid team for the Magic: Shaquille O’Neal and Anfernee Hardaway.

It is tough to find too many complaints with that decision. While Tracy McGrady and Dwight Howard make a solid second team (Tracy McGrady does not appear with the Houston Rockets), the Magic will still be a popular and fun team playing with Hardaway and O’Neal.

Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic /

Orlando Magic

When it comes to Magic history, there is clearly a pantheon of four great players — Shaquille O’Neal, Anfernee Hardaway, Tracy McGrady and Dwight Howard. So picking one of the two bigs and one of the two guards creates a pretty fun and amazing NBA JAM team.

If video games are not your thing, then the BIG3 is taking place during the summer all over the country.

The semi-professional 3-on-3 tournament features a lot of former NBA stars including former Magic players Rashard Lewis, Cuttino Mobley and Maurice Evans. It has been a moderate success with good crowds for the games and a wave of nostalgia.

But it too is ripe for some historical discussions.

Using the same parameters as Sports Illustrated — a player can only appear for one team — the Over and Back Podcast named a BIG3 trio for each NBA franchise.

Their picks for the Magic? A very fair group of Howard, Hardaway and McGrady. They put O’Neal on the Miami Heat’s team, avoiding the question of who is better between Howard and O’Neal.

That is not a bad trio. A trio that certainly has a good balance with a big point guard, a scoring wing and a dominant defender and post scorer. That team could compete with just about anyone.

The Magic, as a young franchise, have an incredible history. And these exercises make it clear that their best could compete with the best groups from just about any franchise in the NBA. There are going to be few complaints about this group.

These are all nice distractions. It is good to think back about these days — August is the time to do so. But we are all waiting for the season to start. September cannot seem to come soon enough.

Next: Orlando Magic's expectations, goals become clear

So who would you name to your all-time Orlando Magic NBA JAM and BIG3 teams? Let us know in the comments below!