NBA legend and Hall of Fame center Shaquille O’Neal slyly revealed that he wants to own either the Miami Heat or Orlando Magic at some point in his lifetime.
O’Neal played for both franchises in his NBA career, winning a title with the Heat in the 2005-06 season against the Dallas Mavericks. He was drafted by the Magic with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft.
Though O’Neal did not identify either team by name, the Magic and Heat are the only two NBA teams that currently call Florida home.
“I want to own a team in Florida,” O’Neal said. “You put it out, anywhere in Florida.”
O’Neal was then asked if he wanted to own any professional franchise or just a basketball team in the state.
“I want to own a NBA team in Florida,” O’Neal clarified.
It’s unclear if O’Neal would even have the opportunity to be a part of the ownership group for either franchise at the moment, but it’s always possible one of the teams could look to sell at some point.
Heat owner Micky Arison took control of the franchise back in 1995, and the team has become one of the most respected organizations not only in the NBA, but also in all of professional sports.
Since Arison took over, the Heat have won three NBA titles, two coming in the Big 3 era with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
O’Neal played for Miami for four seasons, averaging 19.6 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game. He was crucial in helping Wade and the Heat win the 2006 NBA Finals, boosting the profile of Miami’s franchise.
The Magic haven’t been as successful as the Heat, but they did make an NBA Finals with Dwight Howard leading the way. The team fell short in that series to another one of O’Neal’s former teams, the Los Angeles Lakers.
Orlando has an up-and-coming roster right now, highlighted by the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft Paolo Banchero.
O’Neal has accomplished so much in basketball as a player, and it would be cool for him to get a chance to own a team as well. Right now, he’s involved in the game as an analyst for TNT.
During his storied playing career, O’Neal made 15 All-Star teams, 14 All-NBA teams and won three NBA Finals MVP awards. He also won a league MVP award in the 1999-00 season.