Magic Hall of Fame

Dan Savage

ORLANDO –&nbsp;When conjuring up images of the Orlando Magic founding fathers, pictures of Pat Williams, Nick Anderson, Penny Hardaway, and Shaquille O’Neal instantly come to mind.&nbsp;

Their tremendous impact on the initial stages of the franchise have earned them their rightful place in the Magic Hall of Fame.&nbsp;

However, another name is, without a shadow of a doubt, worthy of being on that list. 

Dennis Scott, selected by Orlando with the No. 4 overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft, spent seven seasons with the franchise, set several team records, and played a critical role in putting the organization on the map.&nbsp;

On Thursday afternoon, Scott was rewarded for all of his accomplishments with the franchise as he had the distinguished honor of being the 12th&nbsp;inductee in the Magic Hall of Fame.&nbsp;

“It’s an unbelievable honor,” Scott explained. “Just the fact that you feel appreciated for the work that you’ve done, being here for seven years, all the relationships, and just being who I was.”&nbsp;

Scott admitted he was in a state of disbelief when he was surprised on the NBA TV set earlier this season by Magic CEO Alex Martins, who informed him that he would be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame.&nbsp;

Since that day, he’s written and then ripped up a number of speeches in preparation for the moment. However, Scott instead opted to speak to his “friends and family” from the heart on the day of his induction. &nbsp;

He told stories of his pre-draft five mile walk with then Magic Director of Player Personnel John Gabriel, who spent more time getting to know him as a person rather than as a player. Scott also joked about Magic founder and longtime Senior Vice President Pat Williams giving him stacks of books to read, thanked former Magic Head Coach Matt Guokas for always encouraging him to keep shooting, credited in-arena public address announcer Paul Porter for giving him the nickname '3-D' that still sticks to this day, and praised former head coach Brian Hill for tough love and pushing him to develop on the defensive end of the floor.&nbsp;

Along with thanking countless teammates, members of the Magic’s staff, and the team’s fans, an emotional Scott expressed his love for his mother, Elizabeth, who is currently in a nursing home back in Atlanta, for all her support along the way.&nbsp;

“When you’re a single mom growing up in the Washington D.C. area, so many people said it’s hard to raise two boys by yourself,” Scott explained. “You have a lot of naysayers. ‘You’re not going to make it.’ ‘You can’t handle school’ or ‘you can handle two boys by yourself.’ This is a proven testament that if you believe in your craft and do the right thing and put your best foot forward, opportunities will continue to present themselves.” &nbsp;

Those opportunities definitely manifested themselves for Scott over the course of his time in Orlando. During his seven-year tenure with the Magic, Scott averaged 14.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists, while shooting 40.3 percent from 3-point range.&nbsp;

During the 1995-96 campaign, Scott set a then-NBA single season-record with 267 3-pointers made, a standard that lasted for 10 years. His 267 triples made remains the franchise record for most threes made by a player in a season. On April 18, 1996, against the Atlanta Hawks, Scott connected on 11 3-pointers, breaking the then-NBA single game-record, a mark that lasted for almost seven seasons. The 11 triples made in one night also remains the franchise record.&nbsp;

“(He) taught me how to be a professional, (he) taught me how to play the game, (he) taught me how to dominate, (and he) taught me everything I know about what it is to be a professional athlete,” said O’Neal of Scott. “(He’s) the best shooter in Orlando Magic history … (and) he helped build that franchise.”&nbsp;

Scott’s legacy is also reflected in postseason success as he helped Orlando reach the playoffs for the first time in 1994 and earn its first NBA Finals appearance in 1995. 3-D played in 41 playoff games with Orlando, averaging 12.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists, while shooting 36.4 percent from deep. On May 25, 1995, against the Indiana Pacers, he made seven 3-pointers during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, setting a franchise playoff record that still stands to this day.&nbsp;

“That’s where the emotions kick in heavy,” said Scott. “You remember the good times. You remember the struggles. You remember the bad days. You remember how we turned it around and they became good days again.”&nbsp;

Scott remains the Orlando Magic all-time leader in 3-pointers made with 981. Entering this season, he also ranks among the franchise’s all-time leaders in 3-point field goals attempted (second, 2,432), field goals attempted (seventh, 5,737), games played (eighth, 446), steals (eighth, 429), points scored (10th, 6,603), field goals made (10th, 2,421) and minutes played (10th, 13,692).&nbsp;

“He played such a huge role (and) he was such an exciting player,” said Martins. “He was shooting the three-pointer before it was popular, before it was in vogue in the NBA. He was really one of the three-point pioneers. That was exciting and that was exciting for our fans. He really helped put the stake in the ground in Central Florida as far as professional basketball.” &nbsp;

Scott joins Williams (2014), Anderson (2014), O’Neal (2015), the late Rich DeVos (2016), Hardaway (2017), Jimmy Hewitt (2017), Tracy McGrady (2018), David Steele (2019), Darrell Armstrong (2020), John Gabriel (2022) and Brian Hill (2022) in the team’s Hall of Fame.&nbsp;

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Dennis Scott Joins Other 'Magic Founding Fathers' in Team’s Hall of Fame

Official Release

ORLANDO - Dennis Scott will become the 12th inductee into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame, CEO Alex Martins has announced. Date and time for the induction ceremony will be determined at a later date.

“Dennis (Scott) still remains one of the elite, long-range shooters in both Orlando Magic and NBA history,” said Martins. “His ability to shoot from beyond the three-point arc was a major key to our success during his time in Orlando and his records stand to this day. We are proud to make Dennis the next inductee into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame.”

Originally selected in the first round (fourth overall) of the 1990 NBA Draft by Orlando, Scott played seven seasons with the Magic from 1990-97. He played in 446 regular season games (322 starts) with Orlando, averaging 14.8 ppg., 3.1 rpg. and 2.3 apg. in 30.7 minpg., while shooting .403 (981-2,432) from three-point range.

During the 1995-96 campaign, Scott set a then-NBA single season-record with 267 three-pointers made, a standard that lasted for ten years. The 267 three-pointers made remains the franchise record for most made in a season. On April 18, 1996 vs. Atlanta, Scott connected on 11 three-pointers, breaking the then-NBA single game-record, a mark that lasted for almost seven seasons. The 11 three-pointers made also remains the franchise record for most made in a game.

Scott also appeared in 41 playoff games (31 starts) with Orlando, averaging 12.2 ppg., 3.0 rpg. and 1.9 apg. in 33.8 minpg., while shooting .364 (92-253) from three-point range. On May 25, 1995 vs. Indiana, he made seven three-pointers during Game #2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, setting a franchise playoff-record that still stands today. Scott helped the Magic reach the 1995 NBA Finals.

Scott remains the Orlando Magic all-time leader in three-pointers made with 981. Entering this season, he also ranks among the franchise’s all-time leaders in three-point field goals attempted (second, 2,432), field goals attempted (seventh, 5,737), games played (eighth, 446), steals (eighth, 429), points scored (tenth, 6,603), field goals made (tenth, 2,421) and minutes played (tenth, 13,692).

The Orlando Magic unveiled its inaugural Hall of Fame class on April 9, 2014 naming the first two inductees, Magic co-founder Pat Williams and the team’s first-ever draft pick and current community ambassador, Nick Anderson. Scott also joins Shaquille O’Neal (2015), the late Rich DeVos (2016), Anfernee Hardaway (2017), Jimmy Hewitt (2017), Tracy McGrady (2018), David Steele (2019), Darrell Armstrong (2020), John Gabriel (2022) and Brian Hill (2022) in the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame.

The Orlando Magic Hall of Fame honors and celebrates the great players, coaches and executives who have had a major impact during the team’s illustrious 34-year history. It bridges the past with the future of Magic basketball, and the exhibit, located in Amway Center on the terrace level near Nutrilite Magic Fan Experience, provides Magic fans an opportunity to learn some Magic history while in the building. The inductees are selected based on their overall on and off the court contributions to the team and organization, years of service, impact in the community and general character of the individual.&nbsp;

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Dennis Scott gets the call for the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame

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Dennis Scott to be Inducted Into Orlando Magic Hall of Fame

Josh Cohen

ORLANDO - If Twitter, Meta, or any of today’s other social media platforms existed on June 30, 1993, it’s likely that the Orlando Magic would have been America’s No. 1 trending topic that day.

Texting not a thing yet and the internet just starting to reach people’s homes, sports hoopla spread over family dinner, through phone calls, and by running into people while out and about. At the center of those conversations was undoubtedly the blockbuster trade made between the Magic and Golden State Warriors during the NBA Draft that late June night. Orlando acquired Penny Hardaway, chosen third in the draft, and three future picks from Golden State for Chris Webber, the first player taken off the board that year.

The other big story in Orlando was Brian Hill, 45 years old at the time, replacing Matt Guokas as the Magic’s head coach. Hill had been an assistant the prior few years under Guokas, who shifted from the bench to a Magic front office role before becoming an NBA on NBC color commentator several months later.

Present to witness these major happenings on that June 1993 night was John Gabriel, the first person team co-founder Pat Williams hired in 1987 after the NBA awarded Orlando an expansion club that would debut two years later. He had a strong feeling both decisions the Magic made that day – acquiring Hardaway and promoting Hill – were going to work out just fine.

“I sort of thought like it was the beginning for me to make some tough decisions,” Gabriel said. “Pat Williams put the deal together with Don Nelson (Warriors coach and vice president at the time), but it came down to who was the better basketball player, and I remember sitting with ownership in a room, and it was: Webber, Penny, Webber, Penny. And I went into Pat Williams’ office, and I said, “Pat, any thoughts?’ He said, ‘listen to your heart,’ and we took Hardaway.

As Brian said, I knew him from interacting at scouting events. The team at that time needed a new voice, a coach that was disciplined, and was not afraid to stand up to Shaquille O’Neal or anyone. He was the perfect choice.”

Gabriel himself was climbing up the Magic ladder around that time. He had multiple job titles then, including director of player personnel and director of scouting, and those in and around the organization knew it was only a matter of time before he got his next big break. Lo and behold, in Jan. 1994 that’s precisely what transpired, as Gabriel was promoted to vice president of basketball operations.

With Gabriel in his front office position and Hill steering a young but extraordinarily talented team that included Shaquille O’Neal, Hardaway and Nick Anderson, the Magic would transform into a championship contender. While they fell short of a title, losing to the Houston Rockets in the 1995 NBA Finals and the Chicago Bulls in the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals, what the Magic accomplished in that window of time and the buzz they generated around the globe remains one of Orlando’s proudest successes.

Only fitting considering they’ve achieved so much together, Gabriel and Hill were inducted into the Magic Hall of Fame on Wednesday, joining Williams, Anderson, O’Neal, Hardaway, Rich DeVos, Darrell Armstrong, Jimmy Hewitt, Tracy McGrady, and David Steele.

“I’m honored and I’m humbled by the entire experience being inducted today,” Hill said. “I’ve always felt a special relationship with the organization even after I stopped coaching. It was obviously wonderful of (Magic CEO) Alex (Martins) and the DeVos family to bring me back as an advisor and work in TV. But Orlando’s home, and I just feel like this organization has always been home to me, and it gave me the opportunity to coach some of the best players that ever played in the NBA.”

During his Magic Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony, Gabriel evoked a memory that shed some light on where his passion for basketball originated from. Sixty years ago today, Gabriel’s father, Frank Gabriel Sr., took him and his brothers, Pat and Frank Jr., to Hershey Sports Arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania to watch the Philadelphia Warriors take on the New York Knicks.

It was the then 6-year-old Gabriel’s first time attending an NBA game, and what he got to take in was something we may very well never see again in this league. The late, great Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points on that March 2, 1962 night. Watching that play out live was obviously special. But even more meaningful was that he got to take it all in sitting next to his dad.

“In all honesty, I wanted to go use the restroom at 6 years old,” remembers Gabriel, who got his start in the NBA, ironically, with Philadelphia, where he worked as an assistant coach, director of video scouting and scouting coordinator with the 76ers. “But we had no idea that we would witness 100 points, 25 rebounds and 28 free throws. A building that holds 7,000 people, there are 70,000 people that say they were at that game. My dad Frank had a cup of coffee with the Brooklyn Dodgers, so he was a sports guy. That was probably why (he developed a passion for sports and basketball).”

A combination of O’Neal leaving for the Lakers and Hardaway dealing with knee issues prevented the Magic from ascending during that 90s era, documented in an ESPN 30 for 30 film titled “This Magic Moment.” However, it didn’t halt Gabriel and Hill from having more career success.

Gabriel became the team’s general manager in 1996, a position he held until 2004. Under his supervision, the Magic made the playoffs in five seasons – including three times after he pulled off a sign-and-trade for McGrady in what remains arguably the greatest offseason free agency move in franchise history.

Maybe the craziest feat of Gabriel’s GM tenure was the fact that he made 55 transactions involving 51 different players from June 14, 1999 through Aug. 15, 2000.

After a two-season stint as the head coach of the Vancouver Grizzlies and another few years in an assistant role with both the Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets and New Jersey Nets, Hill returned to Orlando to take over head coaching duties for another two seasons, including in 2006-07 when they ended a three-year playoff drought.

Both Gabriel and Hill are currently executive advisors in the Magic’s basketball operations department. Hill is also a pregame and postgame analyst for Magic games on Bally Sports Florida.

“Together, they formed what was one of the most successful periods in Orlando Magic history,” Martins said of Hill, the franchise leader in coaching wins, and Gabriel. “Both in terms of wins and going to the NBA Finals and consecutive playoff appearances. So, I think it’s just fitting that the two of them going into the Magic Hall of Fame together.”

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June 30, 1993 a Day Neither John Gabriel or Brian Hill Will Ever Forget

ORLANDO – On Tuesday, some 21 years after Tracy McGrady boldly told family members that he would someday play for the Orlando Magic and 18 years after that dream actually came true, his basketball odyssey throughout Central Florida came full circle.

While McGrady said entering the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame last September was the thrill of a lifetime, it was Tuesday’s induction into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame that particularly resonated with him because of how deep his Central Florida roots run.

``It’s full circle because I used to drive up with my mom from Polk County and at a certain point (in Orlando) I’d smell that bread and then we’d pass (the former Amway Arena) and I’d be like, `I’m going to play there one day, I’m going to be in that uniform,’’ McGrady recalled following his induction ceremony on Tuesday. ``Now, here we are getting inducted into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame and it’s a gratifying feeling. This is how it should have been.’’

McGrady, now 38, became the seventh member of the Magic Hall of Fame – which is positioned at the Amway Center near the Nutrilife Fan Experience – joining legendary owner Rich DeVos, co-founders Pat Williams and Jimmy Hewitt and standout players Shaquille O’Neal, Anfernee ``Penny’’ Hardaway and Nick Anderson.

Much like one of those stars engrained on his classic Magic uniform from the early 2000s, McGrady burned brightly as he flew across the Central Florida sky while either throwing alley-oop passes to himself off the backboard or piling up points in record numbers.

Similar to a shooting star, McGrady’s megawatt glow was gone just like that, lasting only four short years after his superstardom exploded upon Orlando in 2000.

Though his stint in Orlando was short, McGrady’s impact on the Magic was undeniably great, Magic CEO Alex Martins said.

``Arguably the four most productive years of a very great career,’’ Martins said of McGrady’s time with the Magic from 2000-04. ``The impact that he made on the organization on such a short period of time is evident in the numbers. Today, he’s still our all-time leading scorer by average. And he holds our all-time scoring record in a game and he’s in the top three or four in every one of our statistical categories – and he did it in four years, which is pretty remarkable.

``We all sit around and wonder what it would have been like if he had spent the majority of his career here or finished his career off here after those four years,’’ Martins added. ``If he had, I think, clearly, his number would be hanging in the rafters here and perhaps we’d even be talking about the Magic having won a championship during that time.’’

In 295 games with the Magic from 2000-04, McGrady averaged 28.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.53 steals in 39.4 minutes per game. He led the NBA in scoring twice (32.1 ppg. in 2002-03 and 28 ppg. in 2003-04) and was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2000-01. The native of nearby Auburndale once scored a franchise-record 62 points in a game in March of 2004, he was a two-time first-team All-NBA pick, a two-time second-team All-NBA selection and a four-time NBA All-Star while wearing Magic stars and pinstripes.

``(Stopping him) was as difficult as anyone in the league during his time,’’ said current Magic coach Frank Vogel, who worked previously for the Celtics, 76ers and Pacers during much of McGrady’s heyday. ``The ability to rise up and shoot at that height over the defense and off pindowns and off the bounce, which would force you to close out to him and he became a great passer our of pick-and-rolls. He really had it all – the explosiveness at the rim, the mid-range (shot), the ability to pass and hit the 3-point shot. So, he was as difficult as anybody we’ve had to prepare for since I’ve been coaching.’’

The ninth overall pick of the 1997 NBA Draft, McGrady spent his first three seasons with the Toronto Raptors and he averaged 15.4 points per game in the 1999-00 season while playing in the shadow of his cousin, Vince Carter. Former Magic GM John Gabriel had the insight to see McGrady’s vast potential, signing him and Grant Hill to seven-year, maximum-salaried contracts.

While McGrady’s superstardom took off in Orlando – he averaged 26.8 and 25.6 points per game in his first two seasons with the Magic – his career was forever haunted by ``what if’’ questions. To wit:

``There’s a lot of `what could have beens’ with my career,’’ McGrady said with a wistful laugh. ``But I don’t look back on it. I relish the time that I did have here, and I live on the experiences. I don’t indulge in the past of what could have been. I just live on the experiences that I did experience while I was here.’’

McGrady’s final chapter with the Magic could include an enhanced role in the team’s front office in the future. Hired in October as a special consultant to the CEO, McGrady has been precluded from having much involvement with Orlando’s players because of his simultaneous job as a NBA analyst for ESPN. In time, McGrady’s role with the Magic could potentially grow to the point where he helps the franchise attract the kind of difference-making free agent that he was back in 2000 for the organization.

``I used to tell my mom and tell my friends that I was going to be wearing this (Magic) uniform someday,’’ recalled McGrady, who noted that he always wore jersey No. 1 as a tribute to fellow Magic Hall of Famer Penny Hardaway being his favorite all-time player. ``In 1999, (his Toronto Raptors) were playing the Magic and Doc (Rivers) was the coach and we crossed paths at the end of the game and I told Doc, `Hold a place for me.’ Really, nobody had to do any recruiting because I knew I was coming home.

``Growing up, watching Nick (Anderson), watching Penny (Hardaway) and watching Shaq (O’Neal), this was the organization I always wanted to play for,’’ he added. ``It was a dream for me to play here. … (In 1997) I was so sold on putting on this (Magic) uniform and one day I wanted to represent it well. I hope I did that for the DeVos family. The four years I had here were some of the best of my life.’’

Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors.

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Tracy McGrady Enshrined in Orlando Magic Hall of Fame

LAKELAND, Fla. –    Tracy McGrady distinctly remembers when he had to rely on, as he describes it, the “TV sets” to gain inspiration from professional athletes and all the NBA superstars he admired as a kid. At that time, while in the infantile stages of his basketball development and personal growth, there wasn’t a pro hoops team close enough for him to get an in-person look at his all-time favorite players.

Now, more than 20 years after we first learned of his name and remarkable talents, McGrady is elated knowing there is a pro team in his backyard for today’s local youth to reap encouragement from as they chase their own dreams.

T-Mac, who grew up in nearby Auburndale before starring for the Orlando Magic and several other teams during his spectacular NBA career, is ecstatic that Lakeland and Polk County is the home of the Magic’s G-League squad. Aware of how ambitious and gifted so many of the children are in this community, McGrady is confident the Magic’s presence will have a tremendous influence on all of their aspirations.

“I’m extremely proud,” said McGrady, who was honored during Lakeland’s game on Friday against the Maine Red Claws at the RP Funding Center where he signed autographs, took pictures with fans and was given a rousing ovation from the crowd during the in-game presentation. “I think it’s great for our community. Obviously, this is where it all started for me. Potentially these guys can do so well and make it to the NBA and to have the inspiration they can give to this community is pretty good.”

While the opportunity to share this occasion with his neighbors and those who have followed his entire career from the very beginning was special and something he dreamed of during his childhood, McGrady was already feeling quite jolly after news came out Thursday that he would be inducted into the Magic Hall of Fame.

T-Mac had his best years in Orlando, where he led the league in scoring twice, set the franchise record for most points in a game when he erupted for 62 against the Wizards in 2004 and guided the Magic to the playoffs in three of his four seasons with the team. With all those accomplishments, it was only a matter of time before he would join Magic royalty.

McGrady will become the seventh member of the Magic Hall of Fame, joining owner and senior chairman Rich DeVos, co-founders Pat Williams and Jimmy Hewitt and players Nick Anderson, Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway.

“You look back where it all started, just a kid being from this area watching Penny, Shaq, Nick and Dennis and those guys and everybody knows I love Penny and one day I just felt like I want to wear that uniform,” said McGrady, who signed with the Magic in 2000 after a three-year stint with the Raptors. “I want to wear that uniform and I want to represent it well, being that it’s close to home. The DeVos family gave me an opportunity to do that and for those four years I think I did a great job of representing that.”

“It feels great that I come back home and the kids just go crazy when I’m here because I played for the Magic,” he added. “Magic was our hometown team. I’m getting inducted into their Hall of Fame which is phenomenal.”

The Hall of Fame ceremony for T-Mac will take place on March 20 at Amway Center when the Magic host the Raptors. Last year, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

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Tracy McGrady Sees Lakeland Magic as Inspiration for Community

ORLANDO –  Transformational point guard Penny Hardaway has said for years that he remembers ``nothing but great things’’ about his spectacular, yet sometimes rocky six seasons with the Orlando Magic.

Soon, Hardaway will have another great memory to attach to his stellar stint with the Magic.

Orlando announced on Thursday that Hardaway will be inducted into the Magic’s Hall of Fame next week at the Amway Center. Hardaway, 45, will be the fifth player inducted into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame, joining legendary owner Rich DeVos, co-founder and Senior Vice President Pat Williams, former center Shaquille O’Neal and small forward Nick Anderson.

Hardaway’s induction into the Magic Hall – which is located near the Nutrilite Magic Fan Experience at the Amway Center – will take place prior to the Magic’s Jan. 20 game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Later that night, Hardaway will be honored during the game before Magic fans at the Amway Center.

Hardaway is deserving of a hearty ovation from the fans, Magic CEO Alex Martins said in a release on Thursday.

``With his size, speed and quickness, Penny electrified us on a nightly basis, while helping lead the Magic to previously unprecedented heights,’’ Martins said. ``His compassion in the community was equally impactful, while he also raised the Orlando Magic’s national profile.’’

The Magic unveiled its inaugural Hall of Fame class in April of 2014, naming Williams and Anderson, the team’s first-ever draft pick and current Community Ambassador. In 2015, O’Neal became the third member inducted, while DeVos joined the Magic Hall last season.

The Magic Hall of Fame honors and celebrates the great players, coaches and executives who have had a major impact during the team’s illustrious 28-year history. The Hall bridges the past with the future of Magic basketball, and the exhibit provides Magic fans an opportunity to learn some Magic history while attending games at the Amway Center. The inductees are selected based on their on-court and off-court contributions to the team and the community.

The Magic believed in Hardaway’s bright future even before he ever donned the franchise’s pinstriped uniforms. Orlando traded the draft rights to No. 1 overall pick Chris Webber to Golden State in 1993 for Hardaway and host of future draft picks so that they could pair the dazzling point guard with O’Neal, Anderson and Dennis Scott. That move proved to be genius as the O’Neal/Hardaway-led Magic reached the NBA Finals in 1995 and the Eastern Conference Finals in 1996.

The defection of O’Neal in ‘96 and a knee injury to Hardaway were seemingly the only things that kept the Magic from ultimately becoming a dynasty that racked up several championships for Orlando, Shaq and Penny agreed upon during the 2016 ESPN 30 for 30 documentary titled ``This Magic Moment.’’ The duo, which often feuded during their time together in Orlando as each battled for recognition and endorsement dollars, were co-producers of the film that told the story of the franchise’s sudden rise.

Because of his 6-foot-7 size and impressive court vision, Hardaway was thought to be a revolutionary at the point guard position much like Magic Johnson a decade ahead of him.

He backed up the hype by averaging 19 points, 6.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.95 steals per game in his 369 career games with the Magic. Unlike O’Neal during his tenure in Orlando, Hardaway was universally thought to be the game’s best player at his position while he played for the Magic, twice being named All-NBA First team (1994-95 and 1995-96).

Hardaway also garnered world-wide fame while with the Magic for the Nike commercials he appeared in alongside of ``Lil’ Penny,’’ a cartoon character voiced by actor/comedian Chris Rock.

Hardaway, who is famously known in Orlando for the game-winning assist to Horace Grant to beat the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls in Game 1 of the 1995 Eastern Conference Finals, also played and started in 45 playoff outings with the Magic, averaging 21.8 points, 6.5 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.91 steals. During the 1997 playoffs, he scored 40-plus points in back-to-back games – another first for a Magic player.

Hardaway ranks among the franchise’s all-time leaders in several categories, including steals (third, 718), assists (fourth, 2,343), field goals made (sixth, 2,542), points scored (seventh, 7,018) and minutes played (seventh, 13,721). Off the court, Hardaway was also honored for his efforts off the court with the 1996-97 Rich and Helen DeVos Community Enrichment Award.

Near the end of his time in Orlando, Hardaway clashed with former head coach Brian Hill and he asked to be traded by the franchise following the first-round playoff exit in 1999. When he was honored by the Magic three years ago as the franchise was celebrating its 25-year anniversary, Hardaway said the good times in Orlando far outweighed his rocky finish.

``I remember nothing but great things. None of the bad ever comes up when I think back,’’ Hardaway said. ``The injury that I had going into my last year was bad, but I just remember all great times.

``Being swept in the first round my first year (the 1993-94 season) was tough, but we had a great year,’’ Hardaway recalled. ``Then, we sign Horace Grant that summer (of 1994) and I knew instantly, `Man, we’re going to The Finals.’ And we did because I knew we were just one player away. So my memories of Orlando are nothing but good. I was young and we had one of the better teams in the NBA and we were treated like rock stars around the league.’’

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Penny Hardaway Will Be Inducted Into Magic Hall of Fame

ORLANDO -- The Orlando Magic will induct Anfernee ‘Penny’ Hardaway into its Hall of Fame on Friday, January 20 at 4 p.m. in Amway Center, near the Nutrilite Magic Fan Experience**. Hardaway becomes the fifth inductee into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame.

In addition to the induction ceremony, Hardaway will be honored that night during the Magic’s contest vs. Milwaukee. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. and tickets to the game are available through OrlandoMagic.com or by calling 1-800-4-NBATIX.

Acquired by Orlando in the 1993 NBA Draft (June 30), Hardaway spent six seasons with the Magic from 1993-‘99.  He appeared in 369 regular season games (365 starts) with Orlando, averaging 19.0 ppg., 6.3 apg., 4.7 rpg. and 1.95 stlpg. in 37.2 minpg.  Hardaway was named an NBA All-Star four times as a member of the Magic (1995-‘98), named to the All-NBA First Team twice (1994-‘95, 1995-‘96) and All-NBA Third Team once (1996-‘97).  He earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors in 1993-‘94 and was named MVP of the Rookie Game at NBA All-Star Weekend in 1994.  Hardaway also played and started in 45 playoff outings with the Magic, averaging 21.8 ppg., 6.5 apg., 4.6 rpg. and 1.91 stlpg. in 40.9 minpg. During the 1997 Playoffs, he scored 40+ points in back-to-back contests during the First Round against Miami.

Hardaway ranks among the franchise's all-time leaders in several categories, including steals (third, 718), assists (fourth, 2,343), field goals made (sixth, 2,542), points scored (seventh, 7,018) and minutes played (seventh, 13,721).  He helped Orlando reach the 1995 NBA Finals.  Hardaway was also honored for his efforts off the court with the 1996-97 Rich and Helen DeVos Community Enrichment Award.

“In continuing our tradition of honoring those who have made the most significant contributions to our history, we are honored to induct Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway into the Magic Hall of Fame,” said Orlando Magic CEO Alex Martins. “With his size, speed, and quickness, Penny electrified us on a nightly basis, while helping lead the Magic to previously unprecedented heights. His compassion in the community was equally impactful, while he also raised the Orlando Magic’s national profile."

The Magic unveiled its inaugural Hall of Fame class on April 9, 2014 naming the first two inductees, Magic co-founder and Senior Vice President Pat Williams and the team’s first-ever draft pick and current Community Ambassador Nick Anderson.  In 2015, Shaquille O’Neal became the third member inducted, while Senior Chairman Rich DeVos joined the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame last season.

The Orlando Magic Hall of Fame honors and celebrates the great players, coaches and executives who have had a major impact during the team’s illustrious 28-year history. The HOF bridges the past with the future of Magic basketball, and the exhibit, located in Amway Center on the terrace level near Nutrilite Magic Fan Experience, provides Magic fans an opportunity to learn some Magic history while in the building. The inductees are selected based on their overall on and off the court contributions to the team and organization, years of service, impact in the community and general character of the individual.

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Penny Hardaway To Be Inducted Into Magic Hall of Fame

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Due to Tropical Storm Nicole, the NBA has announced that the Dallas Mavericks at Orlando Magic game on Wednesday, November 9 will tip-off at 5:30 PM. Amway Center doors open at 4:30 PM.