Morning Tea: Shaq Is Magic…

A Big Deal: Shaq’s #32 will be retired by the Magic on Tuesday, February 13.

The Orlando Magic will retire #32 in honor of Shaquille O’Neal during a postgame ceremony on Tuesday, February 13 👏

O’Neal is the first player in Magic franchise history to have his number retired 🪄

(via @OrlandoMagic)pic.twitter.com/klZr7KSaul

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) January 5, 2024

Speaking of Magic…a Kobe statue will be unveiled by the Lakers on February 8, 2024 in front of the Staples Center.

Kobe’s legacy immortalized.

2•8•24 pic.twitter.com/WHQBXZJ2gD

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) August 24, 2023

Two big February NBA dates.

With the Magic retiring Shaq that leaves only the Clipper and Raptors with no retired numbers. That’s hard for both…I dunno who you’d retire and enshrine their legacy. Maybe Vince Carter for helping to establish the Toronto Raptors? His playoff record is horrible though. So…I dunno.

For now? Check out Shaq’s docuseries on HBO Max and Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers on Hulu.

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Sammy Verdict: As much as Shaq did for the Magic his true legacy is with the Lakers and their impressive legacy of Big Men. (AD the weakest link of that dynamic chain.)

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Sammy Younan is the affable host of My Summer Lair: think NPR’s Fresh Air meets Kevin Smith: interviews & impressions on Pop Culture.