The Orlando Magic are celebrating their 35th anniversary season this year.
It is a history that has had plenty of ups and downs as any franchise does. But there have been countless great memories, even during the bad times.
This is a team that has helped revolutionize the NBA in many ways. It is a franchise that helped introduce Hall of Famers to the league in Shaquille O’Neal and Tracy McGrady. This is the last franchise to defeat the great Michael Jordan in a playoff series. The Magic can also credit a win over LeBron James too. The team has been to two NBA Finals in the process.
There is a lot to celebrate this year. There is no doubt about that.
The Orlando Magic are celebrating their 35th anniversary this season. We at Orlando Magic Daily are too with our list of the 35 best players in Magic history.
The Magic will be hosting their celebrations for the 35th anniversary — including the return of a classic jersey (and there are so many great ones to choose from). They will likely bring in another legend for induction into the team Hall of Fame — jersey retirements are not quite on the table yet. And there will surely be luminaries from the team’s history returning to the Amway Center.
It will help that, like for the 20th anniversary season in 2009, the Magic will be competitive again and trying to start a new era of Magic basketball.
We at Orlando Magic Daily are eager to celebrate this history too. We have started the festivities with several history posts throughout August trying to put the Magic’s history in perspective.
Now we have come to our main event. It is time to update our rankings of the top players in Magic history, something we have not done since we were wasting time ahead of the Bubble in 2020.
The staff at Orlando Magic Daily, along with balloting from our readers, have compiled a list of the 35 greatest players in Magic history.
This list gives us a chance to celebrate both the greatest players of all time but also some of the most popular and unsung heroes in Magic history.
Thirty-five years is quite a long time and there is quite a history to celebrate. No matter where your favorite player ends up on this list, this is our opportunity to celebrate everything about the Magic.
So here it is: Our list of the 35 best players in Magic history.
Orlando Magic 35th Anniversary: 35 best players in Magic history
35. D.J. Augustin (2017-20)
If you ask any Orlando Magic fan what they first think of when D.J. Augustin is mentioned, it is usually the game-winning three against the eventual champion Toronto Raptors back in the 2019 playoffs. That shot gave Orlando their first postseason win in seven years and Augustin will forever be a bright spot during that era. -Patrick Previty
34. Mickael Pietrus (2009-11)
Mickael Pietrus played 2.5 years with the Orlando Magic but played a big role in the arguably two best teams in Magic history. Pietrus played in any role asked and would play even better when games mattered most. -Omar Cabrera
33. Arron Afflalo (2013-14, 2018)
Arron Afflalo is one of the greatest scorers in Orlando Magic history and earned him his spot at 33. In his two prime years with the Magic, he averaged 15.9 points per game including one season where he averaged 18.2 points, 3.3 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game. -Coby Leibowitz
32. Markelle Fultz (2019-Present)
Markelle Fultz is continuing to rewrite his story in Orlando. Considered a draft bust in Philadelphia, Fultz is proving he is a valuable NBA player and the best is yet to come. -Jean Racine
31. Terrence Ross (2017-23)
Terrence Ross, or the “Human Torch,” played seven seasons for the Orlando Magic and was instrumental in spacing the floor for the recent playoff teams of the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Ross averaged 12.7 points, 1.7 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game and is beloved by Magic fans for his streaky three-point shooting. He currently ranks as sixth in made threes in Orlando Magic history. -Harrison Brown
30. Wendell Carter (2021-Present)
Wendell Carter is Mr. Reliable and has put up good numbers in an Orlando Magic uniform. Carter has extended his range in Orlando and continues to improve to anchor this young team as they try to build out their defense. -Jean Racine
29. Reggie Theus (1990)
Reggie Theus was toward the end of his NBA career when he suited up for the Orlando Magic and was picked from the Atlanta Hawks in the expansion draft. But his presence was felt. He averaged 18.9 points and 4.7 assists per game at 32 years old and brought some excitement to Orlando as a former two-time All Star joined the Magic in their inaugural season. -Harrison Brown
Orlando Magic 35th Anniversary: 35 best players in Magic history
28. Jason Richardson (2011-12)
Jason Richardson was often unfairly cast as the leading perimeter scorer throughout his career and his time with the Orlando Magic was no different as their championship window shut close. But there are only a few players in the team’s history who could flip a game with his shooting the way Richardson could. The disappointment of his two years should not hide how good he could be and the games he won for this team -Philip Rossman-Reich
27. Terry Catledge (1990-93)
Terry “Catman” Catledge played the last four years of his NBA career with the Orlando Magic. A part of the inaugural team, the power forward was a key scorer early on, averaging 19.4 points per game in the franchise’s first season. -Kyle Langan
26. Franz Wagner (2022-Present)
Franz Wagner has inserted himself onto this list after just a couple of years in the NBA. Averaging 16.9 points, 3.2 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game in 159 games, the future looks bright for the young forward.
25. Tobias Harris (2013-16)
Tobias Harris played a great 3.5 years on the Orlando Magic to earn the number 25 spot. His 15.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game were very prominent in the Magic rebuilding years. -Coby Leibowitz
24. Vince Carter (2010-11)
Half Man, Half Amazing. Vince Carter’s time in the Orlando Magic was short-lived but memorable.
The Daytona Beach native averaged 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game in 97 games for Orlando and helped the team reach the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2010 season. -Matthew Costello
23. Paolo Banchero (2023-Present)
In one year, Paolo Banchero is the Rookie of the Year, a Team USA player and a 20-point scorer all at the age of 20. Banchero has every intangible to have a Hall of Fame career. Barring injury and organizational dysfunction, the hope is Banchero becomes the first career Magic player to play his whole career in Orlando and lead all franchise records with a few rings to match. -Anthony Prodanovich
22. Steve Francis (2005-06)
Steve Francis, also known as “The Franchise,” was tasked with leading the Orlando Magic after the Tracy McGrady era. Acquired in the McGrady trade, Francis provided scoring and used to drive to the lane at will. He nearly was an All-Star in his first season in Orlando and is one of the few players to hit 20.0 points per game in a season while wearing a Magic uniform. -Jean Racine
21. J.J. Redick (2007-13)
J.J. Redick is a beloved figure in the Orlando Magic fandom for both his work on the court and off the court. Redick played seven years with the franchise as an elite sniper and only saw his role grow each year. -Omar Cabrera
Orlando Magic 35th Anniversary: 35 best players in Magic history
20. Ryan Anderson (2010-12)
By Omar Cabrera
Ryan Anderson played three seasons with the Orlando Magic and he is part of the team that continued to revolutionize the NBA. He played the stretch-4 role for the Magic full-time once Rashard Lewis was no longer with the franchise and even earned himself Most Improved Player in 2012.
Ryan Anderson was the perfect 4-man next to Dwight Howard and continued to get better each season he played with the Magic.
Anderson was impressive with the Magic never shooting worse than 37 percent from three. His best season came in 2012, where he averaged 16.1 points per game and shot 39.3 percent from beyond the arc.
Anderson was a little ahead of his time but is underrated in the fact that he definitely made an impact on the NBA with his shooting.
19. Mike Miller (2001-03)
By Patrick Previty
The fifth overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, Mike Miller spent his first 2.5 seasons with the Orlando Magic. In 2001, he won Rookie of the Year averaging 11.9 points and 4.0 rebounds per game and shooting 40.7 percent from three-point range. He is one of three players in franchise history to receive the honor.
During his two full seasons, Orlando made the playoffs in both years and Miller was a consistent third option for the team. In 194 games for the Magic, he averaged 14.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
Midway through the 2003 season, Miller was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies and continued his dominance from three ending with a career 40.7 percent shooting mark from deep.
18. Aaron Gordon (2015-21)
By Matthew Costello
In what was widely considered a three-person draft, the Orlando Magic drafted Aaron Gordon fourth overall in 2014. In seven years, Gordon appeared in 428 games and averaged 12.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game before being traded to the Denver Nuggets in 2021.
He helped the Magic break a seven-year playoff drought during his fifth season, going toe-to-toe defensively against Kawhi Leonard and the eventual-champion Toronto Raptors.
What most NBA fans will remember Gordon for during his time in Orlando is undoubtedly his stellar performances in the NBA Dunk Contests. He had a memorable second-place finish to Zach LaVine in 2016 and a highway robbery second-place finish to Derrick Jones Jr. in 2020. It was a display of his promise and his potential as an athlete.
While the casual NBA fan will know Gordon mostly for his dunking ability – he proved to be much more than a highflyer during his time in Central Florida. Despite only spending the beginning of his career in Orlando, Gordon made his mark on the franchise leaderboards. He currently ranks sixth all-time in rebounds (2,753), ninth all-time in blocks (277), and 10th all-time in games played (428).
17. Evan Fournier (2015-21)
By Anthony Prodanovich
The Orlando Magic acquired Evan Fournier in an otherwise nondescript trade on draft night in 2014. He ended up playing seven seasons in pinstripes. He was an anchor player during the team’s frustrating rebuild in the years after trading Dwight Howard. His teams featured a mismanaged rebuild and only a pair of toe dips into the postseason.
During most of his Magic tenure, Fournier was an above-average three-point
shooter. Besides a blip in 2019, Fournier averaged 38.9 percent on 5-plus attempts per game placing him as number three in Magic history in made threes.
It can be said that from the mid-2010s to when Fournier was traded he was a serviceable average wing in the league, being consistently above average efficiency from rim, mid-range and deep.
Fournier’s biggest downfall was his Playoff struggles. The Magic leaned on him a lot for perimeter creation and opponents were able to target him. He struggled to produce, averaging 12.6 points per game and shooting 29.0 percent from deep. He failed to deliver when the Magic finally reached the postseason.
Some of Fournier’s faults were due to coaching decisions and personnel decisions that kept pushing him to the front when that was perhaps not his best role.
Either way, Fournier finished his Orlando career finishing top 10 in franchise records in games played, minutes, 3-pointers made, assists and points. A shining light in a sea of gray during the roughest seas in Magic history.
16. Victor Oladipo (2014-16)
By Philip Rossman-Reich
The start of any rebuild needs to find its star. It typically finds it with one of the top picks in the draft. Even in hindsight, the Orlando Magic’s selection of Victor Oladipo with the second overall pick looks like a sound one. Oladipo would become an All-Star and a dynamic scorer in all the ways the Magic imagined when they selected him.
It just did not happen in Orlando.
The poor infrastructure around Oladipo in his early years kept him from channeling his work ethic and energy into something that would help the team win consistently. They moved him around from point guard to shooting guard without any real direction and Oladipo never quite improved.
Still, his departure in a trade alongside the draft rights to Domantas Sabonis for Serge Ibaka is a sure lesson that a team should not give up on promising talent too soon. The Magic certainly missed out on a really talented player.
Orlando Magic 35th Anniversary: 35 best players in Magic history
15. Bo Outlaw (1998-2002, 2006-08)
By Philip Rossman-Reich
Whatever Bo Outlaw lacks in statistical accolades he made up for in pure hustle and determination. That is what helped define his tenure with the Orlando Magic and made him the face of the Heart & Hustle team alongside Darrell Armstrong.
Outlaw was pure heart. That is the only way to describe his game. And he played every game with a joy that simply became infectious every time he was on the floor.
His first trade to the Phoenix Suns felt like a gut punch for that reason. And losing the team’s heart and soul was a big reason why the Tracy McGrady teams never really took off. Outlaw just did the little things that helped teams win. Every team needs a Bo Outlaw.
14. Scott Skiles (1990-94)
By Jacob Warfle
Scott Skiles’ best case for being high on any list is the simple fact that his NBA record of assists in a single game still stands dating all the way back to Dec. 1990.
In a high-scoring win over the Denver Nuggets, Skiles put up the legendary stat line of 22 points, six rebounds and 30 assists. Many have come close, recently Russell Westbrook in 2021. But none have topped it.
Skiles’ importance to the Orlando Magic franchise can mostly be explained through his role as a facilitator and leader on the original Magic teams.
Taken by the Magic in the 1989 expansion draft, Skiles immediately became a fan favorite, dishing the ball all over the court. He played for the franchise for its first five seasons, overlapping for two years with Shaquille O’Neal, and leaving just before any real playoff success.
His impact cannot be understated as he helped lay the groundwork for what would be the first contender in Orlando.
He still holds franchise records in assists per game, assists in a season, free throw percentage and the big one – assists in a single game.
13. Grant Hill (2001-07)
By Philip Rossman-Reich
Grant Hill’s tenure with the Orlando Magic will always be one filled with disappointment. There is no avoiding it. In his seven years with the team, he struggled to stay on the court, playing more than 50 games just twice in seven years and only 43 games in his first four seasons in Orlando — when Tracy McGrady was on the team.
It clearly kept the Magic from taking any steps as a franchise as the albatross of his max contract hung on a team unwilling to dip into the luxury tax — or make good draft picks.
Hill though was solid when he was on the floor. He averaged 16.4 points per game on a tidy 50.0 percent shooting. He was a key factor in the team returning to the playoffs in his final year in 2007 and a sports hernia injury likely kept the team from reaching it sooner.
Hill’s time in Orlando was a disappointment. But he still was a gifted player who had something to give when he could get on the floor.
12. Dennis Scott (1991-97)
By Kyle Langan
“Threeeee Deeeee!”
The legendary call of Paul Porter rings throughout the Orlando Arena for beloved Orlando Magic sharpshooter, Dennis Scott. And it did 981 times.
That number, 981, still stands as the Magic record for most 3-point makes in a Magic uniform. It is a mark that is not going anywhere any time soon.
The 1987 High School National Player of the Year, the Magic drafted Dennis Scott with the fourth overall pick after he led the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to a Final Four appearance.
Scott played 7 years with the Magic finishing in the team’s top 10 all-time in games played, minutes played, field goals, steals and, of course, 3-point field goals.
All those accolades paired with an undeniable media personality and it is no wonder we voted Dennis Scott as a top-15 player all-time Orlando Magic.
11. Rashard Lewis (2008-11)
By Jacob Warfle
On talent alone, Rashard Lewis belongs in the same conversation as the greats at the top of this list. But his time in Orlando (3.5 years) was just too short to compete with the better names on this list.
Looking at many of the all-time Orlando Magic records, you will not see Lewis’ name listed in many categories. He is not toward the top for most points scored in a Magic uniform. He does not find himself holding any of the single-game records either. Lewis’ impact on the Magic is difficult to define just by numbers.
Lewis was a trendsetter. And, with the help of Stan Van Gundy and an offense built around spacing, one of the first real stretch power forwards in the modern NBA.
He sacrificed individual accolades to slot in on the first “death” lineup, flanking Hedo Turkoglu and Dwight Howard. He was as important as any other member of the 2009 Finals team, averaging 19.0 points per game in the playoffs (second to only Howard). Above all, he was a matchup nightmare and truly ahead of his time.
The 2009 run would not have happened without him.
Orlando Magic 35th Anniversary: 35 best players in Magic history
10. Horace Grant (1995-99, 2002-03)
By Philip Rossman-Reich
Every team needs a Horace Grant. Every young team getting more serious about winning needs a Horace Grant.
Next summer, the Orlando Magic will likely be looking for a grizzled veteran who has made a deep playoff run to bring onto the team and impart his wisdom to the rest of the bunch. Maybe that will end up being Joe Ingles. But that seemingly minimizes the impact he had on the 1995 Magic.
The Magic were a brash team at that point — even their gambit to trade draft picks for cap room was a new thing. They were investigated for tampering even in their bid to acquire Grant after his All-Star season in 1994.
Horace Grant gave the Magic the physical enforcer and floor spacer they needed around Shaquille O’Neal. More than that, he provided a voice of calm to a young team that was on the cusp of title contention. He also knew when to get out of the way as he advised coach Brian Hill to leave him on the bench and let the group on the floor finish off a 12-0 run to defeat the Chicago Bulls in Game 6 of their second-round series.
Horace Grant’s stats are not entirely pretty — 11.3 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per game, which includes a rougher two-year stint during the Tracy McGrady years (it ended with an acrimonious exit where Grant got into an argument with coach Doc Rivers).
But again, his value was his leadership and toughness and defense. And he gave the Magic all of that for that breakthrough season. There may not be a more important free agent acquisition in Magic history — Rashard Lewis probably has an argument along with Tracy McGrady as the lone superstar to move to Orlando in free agency.
When the Magic are building their championship teams they are looking for echoes from successful teams in the past. And so as they look to move out of this rebuilding phase, the Magic are likely trying to think of how they can find someone with the experience to guide this young team like Grant did in 1995.
Every team needs a Horace Grant.
Orlando Magic 35th Anniversary: 35 best players in Magic history
9. Jameer Nelson (2005-14)
By Anthony Prodanovich
The Orlando Magic have been blessed with supernovas at all five positions including some
amazing guard talent. But when it comes to the unofficial designation as “Mr. Magic,” it is likely on
the No. 14 jersey of Jameer Nelson.
The six-foot guard out of Saint Joseph, drafted 20th by the Denver Nuggets and acquired via draft day trade brought the best, not greatest, point guard in Magic history. The Robin to Dwight Howard’s Batman, Jameer Nelson also shifted into the role of leader and floor general given to him by the veterans before and during the Magic’s playoff success.
One of eight players in Magic history to be honored with an All-Star selection, it is
reasonable to believe that if it was not for his shoulder injury that left him with only 42 games and out up until the 2009 Finals, the Magic might have a championship banner hanging in the Amway Center.
In the 2009 season, Nelson when on the court was a +10.0 points per 100 possessions. The only other player that season that was +10 was Rashard Lewis.
For that All-Star season “Mr. Magic” was also the absolute model of efficiency, 52.9 percent from the field (in the top six percent for guards), 45.6 percent from three (in the top one percent of guards) and 88.7 percent from the free-throw line (in the top nine percent for guards). By averaging 16.7 points and 5.4 assists, he was one of only 10 players that year to average more 15.0 points and 5.0 assists per game.
Nelson’s resume is his longevity. He is tied with Nick Anderson for most seasons played with the
Magic at 10 seasons, top five in games played, minutes, three-pointers made, steals and
points. He is number one in Magic history for career assists.
He also cracked the Top 100 in NBA history at 89th overall in career assists. The humble short king should be in the Magic’s Hall of Fame with a retired jersey to follow as he is “Mr. Magic”.
Orlando Magic 35th Anniversary: 35 best players in Magic history
8. Darrell Armstrong (1995-2003)
By Coby Leibowitz
At number eight, we have Darrell Armstrong who played nine great seasons for the Orlando Magic. He was a big part of the Shaquille O’Neal years and the post-Shaq era in Orlando.
Armstrong often gets forgotten about in Magic history because of his fairly meager stats, but he is very deserving of the number 8 spot for the popularity and energy he brought to the team.
In his time with the Magic, Armstrong averaged 11.7 points, 5.1 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. He had 66 games with 20-plus points, four games with at least 30, and 40 double-doubles.
Armstrong was a point guard who could score and facilitate at an extremely high level.
He was an outstanding defender too. Armstrong would often take the task of defending the other team’s best guard, and he averaged at least a steal per game since his first start on the Magic. He had two seasons where he averaged more than 2.0 steals per game.
Armstrong racked up some accolades too. He won the Most Improved Player award and the 6th Man of the Year award in the same season in 1999. He was a two-time Player of the Week. And he was top five in the league in steals twice and had a season where he was third in plus/minus.
Armstrong was a part of five Magic playoff teams and he was best in the bright lights. In the playoffs, he averaged 12.8 points, 4.3 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game.
One of Armstrong’s most memorable moments came in 1999 against the Philadelphia 76ers when he stole an inbounds pass and scored at the other end to beat the buzzer and win the game for the Magic. One of the greatest game-winners in Magic history.
Armstrong was extremely efficient too. He had career shooting splits of 41.9/34.6/88.8. He had four seasons where he shot better than 35 percent from three, and two seasons better than 34, including a high of 36.8 percent not including the season where he played 13 games and shot 50 percent.
Back then when three-point shooting was not as prominent that was extremely impressive.
His mid-range game was elite too. He was a career 41.3 percent mid-range shooter with the Magic and had a season-high of 44.5 percent in 1999.
The numbers do not capture what made Armstrong special though. He was the heart and soul of the famed Heart & Hustle team of 2000, endearing himself to fans by drinking several cups of coffee before games to increase his energy. He was a constant taking charges and diving on the floor for loose balls.
His humble beginnings — he was playing for the tiny CBA when the Magic discovered him in 1995 after stints in Greece and elsewhere following a collegiate career at nondescript Fayetteville State — only added to his legend.
Armstrong played every game like it was his last and always left everything on the floor.
He was a great point guard who could basically do it all, and do it all efficiently and effectively. There is no doubt that he deserves the number 8 spot on this list.
Orlando Magic 35th Anniversary: 35 best players in Magic history
7. Hedo Turkoglu (2005-09, 2011-13)
By Kyle Langan
For those of us who became Orlando Magic fans during the Dwight Howard era, Hedo Turkoglu was a central character and, hailing from Istanbul, Turkey, an improbable one.
Originally drafted by the Sacramento Kings, then traded to the San Antonio Spurs at the tail end of his rookie deal, Turkoglu was allowed to reach free agency, a sign the organization did not believe in the potential of the 6-foot-10 forward.
Lucky for us, John Gabriel and the Orlando Magic foresaw a player who would become a cornerstone of an NBA Finals team.
As a core piece of those exciting mid to late 2000s Magic teams, Turkoglu was the guy who had the rock in crunch time. And he came through more often than not in those high-pressure moments earning the moniker of “Mr. 4th Quarter.”
In the 2008 season, he led the Magic to the second round for the first time in a dozen years, racking up the 2nd most “clutch” points of any player during those playoffs. When the game was on the line Turkaglu outscored players such as Steve Nash, Tim Duncan and LeBron James. The only guy that he trailed in clutch points scored during that campaign? Kobe Bryant.
That year Turkoglu won the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award but was snubbed from the All-Star game. He still takes umbrage with the slight, something he let be known in a recent appearance on the Knuckleheads Podcast.
A year later, he was a key piece in the Magic’s NBA Finals appearance, often playing a point forward role. While his scoring took a slight dip in the 2009 season and playoffs, Magic fans will remember his key block on Kobe Bryant in Game 2 of that series and, on the next possession, his gorgeous inbounds pass to Courtney Lee which could have won the game and evened the seres.
Always a great three-point shooter (38 percent in his run with the Magic), there was nothing flashy about Turkoglu’s game. Just a deliberate confidence that he was going to get his shot and that it was going to go in.
After getting so close to the zenith that is an NBA Championship, Turkoglu’s departure from the Magic was a bit unceremonious and disappointing.
Trying to find the missing piece to push the team over the top, Magic general manager Otis Smith signed Vince Carter, a player and contract that spelled an exit for Turkoglu who then signed with the Toronto Raptors.
The Vince Carter experiment did not work out and Turkoglu was back in 2011 in a blockbuster trade with the Phoenix Suns. But the magic was gone.
While the team won a ton of regular season games, Turkoglu and the Magic were never able to recapture the postseason success they realized during his first tenure.
Today Turkoglu serves as president of the Turkish Basketball Federation, but it’s not uncommon to see him sitting courtside at a Magic game during the Turkish offseason. And every time he graces the jumbotron, it is to raucous applause from Magic fans who will always remember Turkoglu coming through in the clutch and holding up the Orlando emblazoned on his chest.
Orlando Magic 35th Anniversary: 35 best players in Magic history
6. Nikola Vucevic (2013-21)
By Patrick Previty
When you think of the 2010s Orlando Magic, you think of Nikola Vucevic.
Coming over from the Philadelphia 76ers as part of the Dwight Howard trade back in 2012, Nikola Vucevic was the team leader and franchise player for the better part of a decade.
During his time with the Magic, Vucevic was a two-time All-Star, played the fourth-most games in franchise history, and is currently the franchise leader in field goals. He amassed more than 10,000 points, 6,000 rebounds and 1,500 assists.
Unfortunately under constantly unfavorable circumstances, the Magic did not have the breakthrough success they would have hoped for under the sixth-best player — by our estimation — in Magic History.
In his almost nine years with the Magic, they only made the playoffs twice. But it was perhaps more so his reliability and length of tenure that sets him apart.
Vucevic was the anchor down low that young fans could associate the team with while also being a consummate professional through the losing seasons. Then, when the Magic did experience some success by making the postseason, he was also stepping up his performance.
In 2019, Vucevic averaged a then career-high in points and rebounds which propelled the Magic into the playoffs for the first time since 2011.
In 2021, Vucevic was traded 44 games into his second All-Star campaign in a move that reset the franchise.
This trade, among others that included guys from that era, effectively sent the Magic into the place they are now with one of the better young cores in the NBA.
But Vucevic’s place in Magic history will not be forgotten as he is one of the most important players to ever put on the uniform.
Orlando Magic 35th Anniversary: 35 best players in Magic history
5. Nick Anderson (1990-99)
By Harrison Brown
As the first pick in the Orlando Magic’s franchise history, Nick Anderson transcends what he did on the basketball court for the organization. And his loyalty to the team that drafted him is a testament to his character and appreciation for the Magic.
As a rookie, Anderson established himself as a key piece for the development of the Magic’s future. He played in 81 games during his first season and averaged 11.5 points per game. As a winning-caliber team was building around him, he continued to improve.
In his third and fourth seasons with the team, he blossomed and averaged 19.9 points, 3.1 assists and 6.2 rebounds per game. Nick Anderson was the second leading scorer during the 1993 season behind the budding superstar Shaquille O’Neal. That included scoring 50 points in a late-season game against the New Jersey Nets — a game overshadowed by O’Neal tearing the basket down.
Anderson was willing to take a secondary and even tertiary role for the betterment of the team. When the team drafted Anfernee Hardaway, Nick Anderson let Hardaway and Shaquille O’Neal be ball dominant while he complemented their play as a scorer, wing defender and veteran presence.
Anderson has two of the most memorable moments in Magic basketball history. He played an instrumental role in leading the team to its first NBA Finals appearance in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Chicago Bulls.
In Game 1, he stole the ball from Michael Jordan from behind that eventually led to a Horace Grant dunk that gave the Magic a 92-91 lead over the Bulls with 6.2 seconds remaining. This win set the tone for the series as Orlando closed out a 4-2 series victory.
His other memorable moment is not quite the feel-good story. But in Game 1 of the Finals against Houston, Anderson missed four free throws while the Magic were up three and the Rockets battled back to force overtime. Orlando ended up getting swept in the Finals and potentially changed the course of their history.
Anderson ended up playing four more seasons for the Magic after their Finals run and averaged 14.2 points per game in the tail end of his time in Orlando. The missed free throws still haunt the fan base, but he is so much more to this organization and was the true cornerstone of the franchise as its first-ever draft pick.
He is pivotal in this team’s history and played 10 seasons, averaging 15.4 points, 2.8 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game in his time with the team.
He is a beloved figure in the Orlando community, actively engaging in philanthropic events and connecting with fans. Anderson stills works for the Magic in community relations and as a commentator for Magic home games.
Anderson currently ranks second in points, fourth in rebounds, fifth in assists, first in steals, first in games played, second in minutes played, second in three-pointers made and fourth in free throws made.
He will forever be cemented as a Magic great and remains a source of inspiration to the current roster that a young team can become championship contenders in Orlando.
Orlando Magic 35th Anniversary: 35 best players in Magic history
4. Tracy McGrady (2001-04)
By Matthew Costello
Tracy McGrady is absolutely an Orlando Magic Legend and probably the best pure scorer the franchise has ever seen. If you were a kid growing up in the Orlando area in the early 2000s – owning a pair of T-Mac’s signature Adidas shoes was an instant rep enhancer.
McGrady had it all during his time in Central Florida: smooth handles, a deadly jumper, elite athleticism, and the confidence to get clutch buckets whenever the situation called for it.
McGrady averaged an ungodly 28.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists,1.5 steals and 1.0
blocks per game in 295 appearances during his four-year Magic tenure. Despite a limited time in Orlando (he doe snot even crack the top 10 in games played), McGrady was able to put up numbers that assure he will be one of the franchise’s best for years to come.
In the regular season, he ranks fourth in the organization in points, ninth in rebounds and assists, seventh in steals and first in points per game (28.1). In fact, the only other Magic player in franchise history to average more than 20 points per contest was NBA Legend Shaquille O’Neil (27.2 per game).
Really the only blemish on McGrady’s Magic resume unfortunately comes from his lack of
postseason success. While the Magic do not have the most illustrious postseason history, it is
fair to say McGrady’s were disappointing considering he is one of the best players the organization
has ever had dawn their jersey.
He led the Magic to the playoffs in three of four seasons but each time lost in the first round.
The 2003 playoffs were the most heartbreaking for Magic fans and probably McGrady as
well.
After going up 3-1 against the Detroit Pistons, McGrady uttered that infamously premature
phrase, “It feels good to get into the second round.” The league had just switched the first round from best-of-5 to best-of-7.
Orlando never would advance as the Pistons won three straight to knock Orlando out of the Playoffs and ultimately end McGrady’s postseason career with the Magic.
Regardless of what was not accomplished, McGrady is rightfully a fan-favorite player in the
team’s history. His No. 1 jersey can still be seen in abundance during any game at the Amway Center.
He was one of the few players who truly made being a Magic fan cool and holds a special place in the hearts and minds of every Magic fan. His time in Orlando was special and it is safe to say he will remain a staple in the top 5 of any “All-Time Greatest Orlando Magic Players” for years to come.
Orlando Magic 35th Anniversary: 35 best players in Magic history
3. Anfernee Hardaway (1994-99)
By Jacob Warfle
Coming in at number three, Anfernee Hardaway is in the conversation for the most important Orlando Magic player ever. Trying to build the best argument for Hardaway led me to an internal debate about the best one-liner to describe his greatness.
Rather than pick one, I will just list them out.
Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway is owner of one of the greatest NBA nicknames of all time, star of one of the most iconic basketball commercials ever, still one of the most popular jerseys seen at Orlando Magic home games, and proud participant in a “who’s team is it?” beef with the great Shaquille O’Neal himself.
If these do not describe Hardaway’s importance to the Orlando Magic, and NBA lore as a whole, then I do not know what does.
Hardaway has to be in the running for the coolest, smoothest athlete to ever move on a basketball court. He was more mythical than he was concrete.
Hardaway is one of the few players where his Basketball-Reference page does not come close to capturing the player people saw with their own two eyes.
Taking a little deep dive into his accomplishments will not completely wow you. He is a 4-time All-Star and 3-time All-NBA player. He also appears on a few of Orlando’s career leader lists. But nothing jumps off the screen quite like watching him play.
So maybe that is the best way to describe Hardaway, even if it might be a little disrespectful. He is on the Mt. Rushmore of “What If” careers in NBA history.
Playing six years in Orlando (three alongside O’Neal), Hardaway and the Magic captured lightning in a bottle and were immediately thrust into the limelight. O’Neal and Hardaway made the playoffs almost immediately and found themselves knocking out the Chicago Bulls and playing the Finals in their early 20s.
It is hard to quantify the real cultural impact of those 90s Magic teams, but that feels like the only time the Magic were the true trendsetters of the NBA in both style and persona. Much of this traces back to Anfernee Hardaway, who at the time was talked about as the next Michael Jordan.
Everything is not always linear with sports and we know how the story goes. O’Neal ended up leaving for Los Angeles. Hardaway battled injuries and eventually left. And the dynasty really ended before it started.
But we will always have those few years.
Hardaway still has not made his way into the Pro Basketball Hall of fame. Maybe the numbers and accolades do not quite get him there. On talent alone, he might be better than 75 percent of the names listed. But that is not how you get inducted.
He will always be one of the great members of the Orlando Magic and every few years online we will see his spin move, step-back combo pop up with a fire emoji as the caption.
Generations will continue to discover him and ask questions and we can answer: “Oh, that was Penny Hardaway. Yes, he was that good.”
Orlando Magic 35th Anniversary: 35 best players in Magic history
2. Shaquille O’Neal (1993-96)
By Philip Rossman-Reich
When the 1992 NBA Draft Lottery took place, legend has it that every team hoping the ping pong balls bounced their way had a specially made No. 1 jersey underneath their dais. That jersey had Shaquille O’Neal’s name on it. There was no doubt who was going No. 1 and at that time there was no doubt someone’s franchise would change forever.
For a team gaining distance from its expansion years, the fledgling franchise needed a star. They needed something that would signify a turn toward winning. They needed something to maintain the energy of those early years.
Getting O’Neal did more than supercharge a franchise. It gave the team a player who could be the sun the whole universe revolved around. This was a superstar player. A clear future Hall of Famer. And a center who would define the next decade of the league — and probably more.
O’Neal’s arrival immediately made the Magic matter on a national stage. Orlando went 41-41 in his first season — an all-star season as a rookie. The team was in the playoffs for the first time in his second season and were in the NBA Finals in his third year.
He was a rocket ship that instantly made the Magic the most popular team in the league and a team that looked like it would be the future of the league.
O’Neal averaged 27.2 points per game and 12.5 rebounds per game with the Magic. But those numbers do not really state the impact O’Neal had in his career with the Magic.
Orlando had O’Neal for a precious four years, but his presence on the franchise remained constant throughout. The Magic as an organization were always chasing the high and the spirit of his presence.
O’Neal would become a champion with the Los Angeles Lakers. But he was a different player in Orlando — a mixture of power, size and athleticism that no one in the league understood how to handle. He would be just as likely to lead a fast break as he was to trail and finish at the rim. He was a freak athlete.
No player is culturally more important to the Magic.
He literally gave Orlando as a city an identity beyond Disney by shattering backboards and taking this small-market team to the pinnacle of the NBA. The whole NBA world revolved around him for the better part of two decades.
The city itself is probably not the bustling metropolis it has become if not for O’Neal being here. The Magic certainly are not the same franchise without him and his outsized presence.
Orlando Magic 35th Anniversary: 35 best players in Magic history
1. Dwight Howard (2005-12)
By Coby Leibowitz
Dwight Howard is the greatest player in Orlando Magic history and it shows in all aspects.
He has got the accolades, the stats and the fans love to prove it. Howard was drafted with the first overall pick in the draft in 2014 and he did not disappoint. His eight seasons on the Magic are some of the most memorable in Magic history.
With the Magic, Howard averaged 18.4 points, 13.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.2 blocks per game on 57.7 percent field goal shooting in 36.2 minutes per game. He totaled up 457 double-doubles including 69 in one season and he got one triple-double. He had 52 games with at least 30 points, four 40-point games and 50 games with 20 or more rebounds in a game.
He had career highs of 22.9 points per game, 14.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game in a single season. Howard could do it all and was elite at all aspects of the game offensively and defense.
Howard won three consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards while playing for the Magic, and made six All-Star games, including multiple years as the leading votegetter as he dominated the center position in his time. He won 18 Player of the Week awards and six Player of the Month awards. Howard was top 5 in MVP voting four times.
Howard would also get noticed league-wide as the best center in the NBA for years.
He was on the All-Rookie first team, a six-time All-NBA first-team selection, a two-time second teamer and third teamer and a five-time All-NBA defensive team member, with four of those on the first team. He led the league in rebounds five times, he led the league in offensive rebounds once, he led the league in blocks and blocks per game twice and led the league in field goal percentage once.
All the numbers and accolades speak volumes about Howard. But his best memories came in the year that he led the Magic to the Finals in 2009. Although they did not win it all that season, his playoffs were incredible.
On a team where the only other all-star available was Rashard Lewis, Dwight Howard was the star of the show. He willed the team to the finals on both sides of the floor, finishing off the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers with a classic 40-point, 14-rebound performance in Game 6 at the Amway Arena.
That entire Playoff run, he averaged 20.4 points, 15.3 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.9 assists per game.
For the Magic franchise, Howard is number one in all rebounding categories, points, free throws made, defensive rating and win shares.
Howard will forever be remembered as a Magic legend, from the awards, to the Finals run to dressing up as Superman and winning the slam dunk contest Dwight is proudly the best Magic player of all time.