Shaquille O’Neal’s TNT Days Could Be Numbered – Drops Shock Announcement at Historic Event
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Superman is always ready to suit up. Especially when he’s got unfinished business in Orlando. Shaquille O’Neal‘s one unfulfilled wish remains winning his first team a championship. On the night the Orlando Magic sent his No.32 to the rafters, Shaq expressed he’s ready to leave his day job any time the team calls.
Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, and Kenny ‘The Jet‘ Smith could be blindsided after hearing O’Neal’s speech where he told the Magic owners, “To the DeVos family, whenever you want me to quit TNT and come back home, you give me a call. I’ll be here in an instant.”
"To the DeVos family, whenever you want me to quit TNT and come back home, you give me a call." pic.twitter.com/sucgCDo3BM
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 14, 2024
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Shaq has always spoken highly of the DeVos family, who were first-year owners of the Magic when they drafted a young O’Neal. The 7-footer holds them in high regard for helping him find his footing as a young star and trusting him with the keys to their franchise. Though he couldn’t win them a championship, Big Diesel did take the team to its first NBA Finals appearance in 1995.
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It’s a running joke that Shaq should go from Clark Kent to Superman and come out of retirement. But he might be hinting at something bigger through his speech.
Shaq’s looking for Orlando return
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O’Neal, who had a minority stake in the Sacramento Kings and is hoping on bringing an NBA expansion team to Las Vegas, had expressed two desires regarding Orlando in the past. One was being the first player in the franchise’s history to have their number retired.
Second, he was hoping to return to Orlando Magic as a team owner. The DeVos family has owned Magic since 1991 and expressed no interest in selling the franchise. O’Neal though remains attached to his first team.
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“I’m interested in a certain team in Florida…I don’t know that [if it’s for sale or not], but if it is, I want to be that guy.” He didn’t explicitly name it but there are only two teams in the Sunshine State, both of which Shaq played for. He said he wasn’t talking about the Miami Heat. That only leaves Orlando Magic.
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The DeVos family has fulfilled one of Shaq’s wishes. Maybe they could take it further and bring Shaquille O’Neal back to the team and city they tout he helped, “put on the map.” What do you think is the possibility of Shaq’s return to Orlando?
Edited by:
Aakash Nair