Nick Anderson meets Orlando Magic's new standard to retire jerseys

Shaquille O'Neal said he honestly never thought the day would come.

When the Orlando Magic inducted him into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame, he thought that would be the end of his recognition from the franchise that drafted him. The Magic, as a franchise, drew a pretty firm line that they would not be retiring jerseys, so that trip to Orlando nearly a decade ago would be it.

Things changed for the Magic's 35th anniversary last year. After much internal debate, the team decided to begin retiring jerseys and invited O'Neal to Orlando for their marquee game last season to raise No. 32 to the rafters at the Kia Center.

It made sense. O'Neal was the team's first true superstar. The franchise is not what it is without O'Neal and his presence.

If Orlando was going to retire jerseys, O'Neal's No. 32 was a requirement, even if there are still some bitter feelings over his exit. That was the only thing debated as O'Neal's jersey went to the rafter last winter. But nobody could argue his accolades with the team.

The Magic clearly were going big with their first jersey they were going to retire. But even O'Neal had to admit that his No. 32 going up first, while emotional and resonant for him as the last of his three main teams to retire his number, felt a bit premature.

As most in Magic history understand, anything that happens first usually belongs to No. 25 Nick Anderson. He was the first player inducted into the team's Hall of Fame just as he was the first draft pick in franchise history in 1989.

And O'Neal made sure to put his teammate over and advocate for Anderson's jersey to go up soon.

"I always thought I would probably be the second," O'Neal said in a press conference before the game he was calling on TNT the night his jersey was retired. "I always thought it should go to a guy like Nick Anderson first. He was the first draft pick and all of that. I'm honored to be the first. But it was definitely unexpected. I'll take it. The No. 32 will probably look very good up there."

O'Neal doubled down on that endorsement during the public ceremony as former teammates and coaches showered him with praise after the game. O'Neal let it be known very clearly he was in the camp of retiring Anderson's No. 25.

That proclamation from one of the Magic's greatest players and their first retiree seemed to give the team some cover and permission to retire the jersey of a sentimental favorite more than an all-time great.

But now that the Magic are honoring their history in this way—10 years after establishing the Hall of Fame as a way to more permanently recognize the team's history beyond its immortals. What are the standards for having their jersey hung in the rafters?

Whatever that standard is, Anderson meets it.

He has always met it because of how important he is to the story of this franchise. O'Neal made that as clear as long-time fans have. And if the Magic decide to retire another jersey this year, it should be Anderson's No. 25.

The Magic are establishing a new standard to retire jerseys

When the Magic made the Hall of Fame, team CEO Alex Martins said there would be certain criteria players would have to meet to have their jerseys retired. Pretty much everyone assumed the first criterion was winning a title.

Clearly, that is no longer the case. But it still takes a very special player to be among the cream of the crop. And it is fair to ask whether Anderson meets that standard.

The Magic's Mt. Rushmore should all eventually have their jerseys retired—Shaquille O'Neal (No. 32), Tracy McGrady (No. 1), Dwight Howard (No. 12) and Anfernee Hardaway (No. 1). Both O'Neal and McGrady are already Pro Basketball Hall of Famers. Howard will be a Hall of Famer soon. And Hardaway was an All-NBA player for two years before injuries cut short a career that seemed destined to be a Hall of Fame career.

Those are high standards to live up to. And those are sure things for the Magic to retire jerseys.

But figuring out where to draw the line has always been the issue. Who misses the cut for retiring jersey? How do you ensure this remains the top honor the franchise can give?

The Hall of Fame exists to honor any and everyone that made a major impact. Nikola Vucevic is an All-Star and should get a Hall of Fame spot. But the lack of team success during his tenure probably means No. 9 does not make the cut.

Darrell Armstrong already earned his spot in the Hall of Fame. But nobody would consider his No. 10 worthy of a jersey retirement. Simply being a fan favorite is not enough.

This is meant to be an exclusive club.

Nick Anderson's status elevates beyond simple standards

Nick Anderson, on his face, is not someone anyone outside of Orlando would consider to be eligible for jersey retirement. He is certainly a fan favorite first and foremost and someone special to Orlando alone.

Anderson averaged 15.4 points per game in 10 seasons with the Magic. He shot 35.6 percent from three in an era when the 3-point shot was not used. He was a very good player and one of the best in Magic history.

But he has no All-Star appearances or anything that would make an imapct beyond Orlando.

In fact, he is probably known more for one of his great shortcomings than for anything he did—any Magic fan who puts that over his steal of Michael Jordan in Game 1 of the 1995 second round is not a true Magic fan.

But O'Neal is right to call Anderson the team's first star. He was the team's first draft pick, an early star for the franchise before becoming a critical role player for its first contending team. Anderson did not pick Orlando, but he became the franchise and the city's first homegrown star. The fact he is still involved with the franchise signals how important he is spiritually to the Magic.

Plainly, there is no Magic as we know them without Anderson and his presence on and off the court. That is reason enough to retire No. 25.

Retiring jerseys is about ensuring which players always have a presence with the team.

Collective memories fade. It is harder and harder to find highlights of Anderson and those in the Kia Center who saw him play from the 1990 season until 1999 are going to get fewer and fewer.

Hanging No. 25 is as much about ensuring and showing off how important his legacy is to this team. It is about ensuring all Magic fans know how important this player and this person is to the franchise's history.

Just like O'Neal and his No. 32 have cast a long shadow over the franchise and now has a physical representation of that impact, Anderson has had his hands all over the franchise and its history. His No. 25 should be a reminder of the kind of person and player the Magic should aspire for.

Retiring a jersey is about a statement of the kind of players and people everyone should aim to be.

Alex Martins has made it clear that all of the Magic's efforts to honor the past are as much about what players do off the court as it is on the court.

Anderson has met the standard on both fronts. And his importance to the franchise as a figure and to its story elevates him above all the other role players in Magic history.

But Anderson has cleared whatever standard the Magic might have. It should only be a matter of time before No. 25 is hanging above the Kia Center floor and Magic fans can celebrate the franchise's first player.