Shaquille O'Neal during a post-game ceremony where the Orlando Magic retired his #32 jersey at Amway Center. Mike Watters-Imagn Images

TNT's Tuesday Broadcast of Magic-Cavs Boasts Plenty of Orlando Ties

Originally posted on Orlando Magic on SI
By Mason Williams | Last updated Feb 24, 2025 5:26 PM ET

ORLANDO, Fla. – When TNT nationally broadcasts Tuesday night's matchup between the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers, there will be plenty of connections to the Magic.

The network's pregame show will feature Adam Lefkoe, Candace Parker, Shaquille O'Neal and Vince Carter. Then, Ian Eagle, Stan Van Gundy and Dennis Scott will have the call of the contest between the East's No. 7 and No 1 seeds.

O'Neal, a longtime stalwart of TNT's "Inside the NBA," was drafted by the Magic No. 1 overall in 1992. He spent four seasons with the Magic from 1992-'93 to '95-'96, playing 295 career games and averaging 27.2 points and 12.5 rebounds.

RVR Photos-Imagn Images

He was a Rookie of the Year, four-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA member and one-time scoring champion during his tenure with the franchise. The Magic made their first-ever NBA Finals appearance with him in 1995.

A Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer, O'Neal was the first player in Magic history to have his number retired.

Carter, a 2024 Hall of Fame inductee, spent parts of two seasons with the Magic in 2009-'10 and '10-'11. Over 97 games, he averaged 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists. He was a part of the 2010 Eastern Conference Finals team. Born in Daytona Beach, Fla., and cousins with Tracy McGrady, Carter called playing for the Magic "a dream come true" during his Hall of Fame induction speech in October.

Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

Van Gundy spent five seasons as the Magic's head coach from 2007-'08 to '11-'12, coaching 394 regular season games and winning 259 of them. He led the Magic to the playoffs in all five seasons of his tenure, including an NBA Finals appearance in 2009 and a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals the following season.

He owns the Magic's best regular season and postseason winning percentages – .657 and .525, respectively. His 318 career wins is the most in franchise history.

Scott, a.k.a. 3-D, was selected by the Magic with the fourth overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft. He spent seven seasons with Orlando, averaging 14.8 points in 446 career games with the franchise. And, he too was an integral part of the 1995 Finals team.

A career 40 percent three-point shooter, Scott's 981 three-pointers is the most all-time for any player in a Magic uniform.

Even Parker has a connection to the Magic. Her brother, Anthony Parker, currently serves as Orlando's general manager. He played 16 games for the Magic back in the 1999-2000 season.

Orlando and Cleveland tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET. It is currently slated as the last national TV game for the Magic in the regular season.

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This article first appeared on Orlando Magic on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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