Editing Shaquille O'Neal (section)

===Orlando Magic (1992–1996)===
====Rookie of the Year (1992–1993)====
The [[Orlando Magic]] selected O'Neal with the [[List of NBA first overall draft picks|1st overall pick]] in the [[1992 NBA draft]]. In the summer before moving to [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]], he spent time in Los Angeles under the tutelage of Hall of Famer [[Magic Johnson]].<ref>Luke, Chelsea. (April 28, 2015). [http://universe.byu.edu/2015/04/28/college-triple-double-header-kyle-collinsworth-versus-shaquille-oneal/ "College triple-double header: Kyle Collinsworth versus Shaquille O'Neal"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170529105438/http://universe.byu.edu/2015/04/28/college-triple-double-header-kyle-collinsworth-versus-shaquille-oneal/ |date=May 29, 2017 }}. Retrieved June 17, 2015.</ref> O'Neal wore No. 32 because veteran teammate [[Terry Catledge]] refused to relinquish the 33 jersey.<ref name=number/> O'Neal said that 32 was the first number he wore when he began playing basketball.{{efn|Multiple articles refer to him wearing No. 32 in high school because No. 33 was not available. The ''[[Corpus Christi Caller-Times]]'' wrote that pictures from a Cole High game in 1989 show him wearing 33. "Maybe he wore No. 32 in earlier seasons", the newspaper added.<ref>{{cite news|first=Allison|last=Ehrlich|title=#TBT: Thirty years ago, West Oso went up against Shaq|date=August 1, 2019|newspaper=Corpus Christi Caller-Times|url=https://www.caller.com/story/news/special-reports/building-our-future/throwback/2019/08/01/tbt-west-oso-versus-shaq-1989-playoffs/1867826001/|access-date=March 27, 2025}}</ref>}}<ref>{{cite news|title=Don't Send Flowers, Check Will Be Enough|date=August 28, 1992|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-08-28-sp-5899-story.html|access-date=March 27, 2025}}</ref> 

O'Neal was named the Player of the Week in his first week in the NBA, the first player to do so.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.nba.com/sixers/news/131104-mcw-eastern-player-week|title = Michael Carter-Williams Named Eastern Conference Player of the Week|website = NBA.com|access-date = August 8, 2014|archive-date = March 20, 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140320010535/http://www.nba.com/sixers/news/131104-mcw-eastern-player-week|url-status = live}}</ref> During his [[1992–93 NBA season|rookie season]], O'Neal averaged 23.4 points on 56.2% shooting, 13.9 rebounds, and 3.5 [[Block (basketball)|blocks]] per game for the season.<ref name="career">{{cite web |title=Shaquille O'Neal Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/onealsh01.html |website=Basketball Reference |access-date=June 2, 2024}}</ref> He was named the 1993 [[NBA Rookie of the Year Award|NBA Rookie of the Year]] and was the first rookie to be voted an All-Star starter since [[Michael Jordan]] in 1985.<ref name="Magic history">{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/magic/history/magic_history.html |title=MAGIC: Magic History |access-date=March 10, 2008 |work=NBA.com/magic |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080201003005/http://www.nba.com/magic/history/magic_history.html |archive-date=February 1, 2008}}</ref> The Magic finished 41–41, winning 20 more games than the previous season, but missed the playoffs by virtue of a tie-breaker with the [[Indiana Pacers]].<ref>{{cite web |title=1992-93 Orlando Magic Roster and Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/ORL/1993.html |website=Basketball Reference |access-date=June 2, 2024}}</ref> On more than one occasion during the year, ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' writer [[Jack McCallum]] overheard O'Neal saying, "We've got to get [head coach] [[Matt Guokas|Matty [Guokas]]] out of here and bring in [assistant] [[Brian Hill (basketball)|Brian [Hill]]]."<ref name=mccallum>{{cite news |last=McCallum |first=Jack |author-link=Jack McCallum |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1997/03/03/the-young-and-the-feckless-another-nba-coach-finds-outtoo-latewhos-really-running-the-show |title=The Young And The Feckless |quote=On more than one occasion during O'Neal's rookie season of 1992–93, I heard him say of his then coach, "We've got to get Matty [Guokas] out of here and bring in Brian." |date=March 3, 1997 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103143912/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1009558/index.htm |archive-date=November 3, 2012  |access-date=June 2, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>

====First playoff appearance (1993–1994)====
In 1993–1994, O'Neal's [[1993–94 NBA season|second season]], Hill was the coach and Guokas was reassigned to the front office.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/07/01/sports/hill-is-named-coach-of-magic.html|title=Hill Is Named Coach of Magic|quote=Matt Guokas, who coached the Orlando Magic to the National Basketball Association's most improved record last season, was replaced today by an assistant, Brian Hill, and was reassigned to the front office as Orlando's vice president of basketball development.|date=July 1, 1993|magazine=The New York Times|access-date=November 6, 2010|archive-date=June 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190610201013/https://www.nytimes.com/1993/07/01/sports/hill-is-named-coach-of-magic.html|url-status=live}}</ref> O'Neal improved his scoring average to 29.4 points (second in the league to [[David Robinson]]) while leading the NBA in field goal percentage at 60%.<ref name="career" /> On November 20, 1993, against the [[New Jersey Nets]], O'Neal registered the first [[triple-double]] of his career, recording 24 points to go along with career highs of 28 rebounds and 15 blocks.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/fc/pgl.cgi?player=onealsh01&year=1994|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729165130/http://www.basketball-reference.com/fc/pgl.cgi?player=onealsh01&year=1994|archive-date=July 29, 2012|title=Shaquille O'Neal 1993–94 Game Log|publisher=Basketball-Reference.com|access-date=August 5, 2010}}</ref> He was voted into the All-Star game and also made the All-NBA 3rd Team. Teamed with newly drafted [[Penny Hardaway|Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway]], the Magic finished with a record of 50–32 and made [[1994 NBA Playoffs|the playoffs]] for the first time in franchise history.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Daubs |first=Kyle |date=2022-03-06 |title=Shaquille O'Neal's Stats For Each Season: The Most Dominant Player In NBA History |url=https://fadeawayworld.net/nba/shaquille-oneals-stats-for-each-season-the-most-dominant-player-in-nba-history |website=Fadeaway World |language=en |access-date=September 9, 2023 |archive-date=October 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231003174659/https://fadeawayworld.net/nba/shaquille-oneals-stats-for-each-season-the-most-dominant-player-in-nba-history |url-status=live }}</ref>{{nbau}} In his first playoff series, O'Neal averaged 20.7 points and 13.3 rebounds<ref name="career" /> as the Pacers swept the Magic.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1995-04-18 |title=O'Neal and Hill get the jump, but Robinson, Kidd grab the votes |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1995-04-18-1995108107-story.html |website=Baltimore Sun |access-date=September 9, 2023 |archive-date=October 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231003174659/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1995-04-18-1995108107-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref>{{failed verification|date=September 2023}}

====First scoring title and NBA Finals (1994–1996)====
In O'Neal's third season, [[1994–95 NBA season|1994–95]], he [[List of NBA annual scoring leaders|led the NBA in scoring]] with a 29.3 point average, while finishing second in MVP voting to David Robinson and entering his third straight All-Star Game along with Hardaway. They formed one of the league's top duos and helped Orlando to a 57–25 record and the [[Atlantic Division (NBA)|Atlantic Division]] crown. The Magic won their first-ever playoff series against the [[Boston Celtics]] in the [[1995 NBA playoffs]]. They then defeated the [[Chicago Bulls]] in the conference semifinals. After beating [[Reggie Miller]]'s Indiana Pacers, the Magic reached the [[1995 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]], facing the defending NBA champion [[Houston Rockets]]. O'Neal played well in his first Finals appearance, averaging 28 points on 59.5% shooting, 12.5 rebounds, and 6.3 assists. Despite this, the Rockets, led by future Hall-of-Famers [[Hakeem Olajuwon]] and [[Clyde Drexler]], swept the series in four games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/magic/history/1994-95.html|title=1994–95 Season – THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE ORLANDO MAGIC|website=nba.com|access-date=October 31, 2015|archive-date=December 1, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101201212215/http://www.nba.com/magic/history/1994-95.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

O'Neal was injured for a great deal of the [[1995–96 NBA season|1995–96 season]], missing 28 games. He averaged 26.6 points and 11 rebounds per game, made the All-NBA 3rd Team, and played in his 4th All-Star Game. Despite O'Neal's injuries, the Magic finished with a regular season record of 60–22, second in the Eastern conference to the Chicago Bulls, who finished with an [[1995–96 Chicago Bulls season|NBA record 72 wins]]. Orlando easily defeated the [[Detroit Pistons]] and the [[Atlanta Hawks]] in the first two rounds of the [[1996 NBA Playoffs]]; however, they were no match for Jordan's Bulls, who swept them in the Eastern Conference finals.