When the Orlando Magic landed the No. 1 pick in the 1992 NBA Draft, they had literally won the lottery.
Reportedly beneath every desk at that fateful Draft Lottery sat a jersey, emblazoned in each team’s colors with O’Neal’s name scrawled across the back. Only Pat Williams got to take his out.
The point was everyone knew from the moment O’Neal stepped on a NBA floor, he would be an impact player.
He made an impact in his first year, becoming the Orlando Magic’s first All Star. He made an impact quickly in the league, guiding the expansion Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals in their sixth year in the league.