1993–94 Orlando Magic season explained

The 1993–94 NBA season was the Magic's fifth season in the National Basketball Association.^[1] The team narrowly missed the playoffs the previous season, but as a result, received unexpected good fortune. Despite having the worst odds, the Magic won the NBA draft lottery for the second consecutive season.^{[2] [3]} The Magic drafted Chris Webber from the University of Michigan with the first overall pick in the 1993 NBA draft. They would eventually swap Webber to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for the rights to University of Memphis guard Penny Hardaway and three future first-round picks.^{[4] [5] [6] [7] [8]}

With the addition of Hardaway, the Magic acquired a guard who could get second-year star Shaquille O'Neal the ball more often. Under new head coach Brian Hill,^{[9] [10]} the Magic continued to improve holding a 27–20 record at the All-Star break,^[11] while posting a 7-game winning streak in February.^[12] At midseason, the team signed assistant coach Tree Rollins to a player contract,^[13] and acquired second-year forward Anthony Avent from the Milwaukee Bucks.^[14] The Magic qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, as the club finished with a record of 50 wins and 32 losses, which was good enough for 2nd place in the Atlantic Division.^[15]

O'Neal continued to dominate the league in scoring as he averaged 29.3 points, 13.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game, was named to the All-NBA Third Team, and selected for the 1994 NBA All-Star Game,^{[16] [17] [18] [19] [20]} while Hardaway had a stellar rookie season, averaging 16.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 2.3 steals per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. In addition, Nick Anderson provided the team with 15.8 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game, while three-point specialist Dennis Scott contributed 12.8 points per game and led the team with 155 three-point field goals, and Scott Skiles provided with 9.9 points and 6.1 assists per game.^[21] O'Neal finished in fourth place in Most Valuable Player voting,^[22] and Hardaway finished in second place in Rookie of the Year voting behind Webber.^{[23] [24] [25]}

However, in the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Magic would struggle losing their first 2 games at home to the 5th-seeded Indiana Pacers by a total of 3 points, as Shaq's weakness at the free throw line was exposed. In the end, the Magic were swept by the Pacers in 3 straight.^{[26] [27] [28] [29] [15]} Following the season, Skiles was traded to the Washington Bullets.^{[30] [31]}

Offseason

• Chris Webber was selected by the Orlando Magic with the first pick of the 1993 NBA draft, becoming the first sophomore since Magic Johnson to be a #1 overall draft pick. The Magic immediately traded him to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Penny Hardaway and three future first round draft picks.

Draft picks

See main article: 1993 NBA draft.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team
1	1	Chris Webber	PF/C		Michigan
1	26	Geert Hammink	C		LSU

Roster

Roster Notes

• Center Tree Rollins was a player-coach during the season.

Regular season

• Penny Hardaway started out the season at the shooting guard position while he learned the point guard position from veteran Scott Skiles. By mid-season he took over point guard duties from Skiles. He immediately made an impact on the league, winning the MVP award at the inaugural Schick Rookie Game.^{[32] [33]} Hardaway helped the Magic to their first playoff berth and first fifty-win season. He averaged 16 points, 6.6 assists, 5.4 rebounds per game while his 190 steals ranked 6th in the league. He recorded his first career triple double on April 15 when he registered 14 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds against the Boston Celtics.^[34] For his efforts he was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, and was the runner-up for Rookie of the Year to the aforementioned Webber.

Season standings

^[35]

z – clinched division title

y – clinched division title

x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1993–94 NBA records
width=100	Team	ATL	BOS	CHA	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	LAC	LAL	MIA	MIL	MIN	NJN	NYK	ORL	PHI	PHO	POR	SAC	SAS	SEA	UTA	WAS
	–	4–0	4–1	2–3	3–1	2–0	1–1	4–0	0–2	1–1	3–2	1–1	1–1	3–1	5–0	2–0	1–3	2–2	3–1	4–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–0
	0–4	–	0–4	2–2	1–3	2–0	1–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	0–4	1–1	1–1	2–3	3–1	1–1	1–4	0–4	2–2	4–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	3–2
	1–4	4–0	–	1–4	1–4	1–1	1–1	4–0	0–2	1–1	2–2	1–1	2–0	1–3	3–2	2–0	2–2	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–2
	3–2	2–2	4–1	–	1–3	2–0	1–1	5–0	2–0	1–1	4–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	4–0	2–0	3–1	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	4–0
	1–3	3–1	4–1	3–1	–	2–0	1–1	3–2	2–0	0–2	2–3	2–0	1–1	1–3	3–2	2–0	2–2	0–4	2–2	4–0	0–2	2–0	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–1
	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	–	1–4	1–1	0–4	1–4	0–2	0–4	0–4	0–2	0–2	5–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–4	1–3	2–2	0–5	0–4	0–5	1–1
	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–1	–	2–0	1–3	3–2	1–1	3–1	3–1	1–1	2–0	4–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–3	2–2	2–4	2–2	1–4	1–1
	0–4	1–3	0–4	0–5	2–3	1–1	0–2	–	0–2	0–2	1–4	1–1	0–2	2–2	1–4	2–0	1–3	0–4	1–3	1–3	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–2
	2–0	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	4–0	3–1	2–0	–	0–4	1–1	4–1	5–0	2–0	2–0	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–3	3–2	4–1	2–2	1–4	3–1	2–0
	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	4–1	2–3	2–0	4–0	–	1–1	4–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	4–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	4–0	4–0	2–3	2–2	3–3	1–1
	2–3	4–0	2–2	1–4	3–2	2–0	1–1	4–1	1–1	1–1	–	2–0	0–2	3–1	3–1	2–0	3–1	0–4	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–1
	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	4–0	1–3	1–1	1–4	0–4	0–2	–	2–3	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–5	2–3	3–2	1–3	1–4	1–3	1–1
L.A. Lakers	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	4–0	1–3	2–0	0–5	1–3	2–0	3–2	–	1–1	2–0	3–1	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–1	3–2	0–5	1–4	0–4	0–5	2–2	1–1
	1–3	3–2	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	1–1	–	4–0	2–0	2–3	2–2	2–3	4–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–1
	0–5	1–3	2–3	0–4	2–3	2–0	0–2	4–1	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–1	0–2	0–4	–	0–2	1–3	0–4	1–3	1–3	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–3
	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–5	1–4	0–2	2–2	1–4	0–2	3–1	1–3	0–2	2–0	–	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	0–4	0–4	2–2	1–4	0–4	1–4	0–2
	3–1	4–1	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–0	0–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	3–2	3–1	1–1	–	4–1	0–5	3–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1
	2–2	4–0	1–3	3–1	4–0	2–0	1–1	4–0	1–1	0–2	4–0	2–0	2–0	2–2	4–0	2–0	1–4	–	3–2	3–2	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–2	5–0
Orlando	1–3	2–2	2–2	2–2	2–2	2–0	1–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	3–2	3–1	1–1	5–0	2–3	–	4–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–0	4–1
	0–4	1–4	1–3	1–3	0–4	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–1	0–2	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–4	3–1	0–2	1–3	2–3	0–4	–	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–3
	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	4–0	3–1	1–1	3–2	2–2	1–1	5–0	2–3	2–0	2–0	4–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	–	3–2	4–1	3–1	2–3	2–2	2–0
	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	3–1	3–1	2–0	2–3	0–4	1–1	3–2	5–0	2–0	1–1	4–0	2–0	0–2	0–2	2–0	2–3	–	4–1	1–3	1–4	1–3	2–0
	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–4	0–4	0–2	2–3	4–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–4	1–4	–	1–3	0–5	1–3	2–0
	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	5–0	4–2	1–1	2–2	3–2	2–0	3–1	4–0	2–0	2–0	4–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–3	3–1	3–1	–	0–4	0–5	2–0
	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	4–0	2–2	1–1	4–1	2–2	1–1	4–1	5–0	1–1	2–0	4–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–2	4–1	5–0	4–0	–	3–1	2–0
	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	5–0	4–1	2–0	1–3	3–3	1–1	3–1	2–2	1–1	2–0	4–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–2	3–1	3–1	5–0	1–3	–	2–0
Washington	0–4	2–3	2–2	0–4	1–3	1–1	1–1	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–3	3–1	2–0	1–3	0–5	1–4	3–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	—

Game log

Playoffs

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1| April 28| Indiana| L 88–89| Shaquille O'Neal (24)| Shaquille O'Neal (19)| Penny Hardaway (10)| Orlando Arena
15,291| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 2| April 30| Indiana| L 101–103| Penny Hardaway (31)| three players tied (7)| Penny Hardaway (7)| Orlando Arena
15,291| 0–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 3| May 2| @ Indiana| L 86–99| Shaquille O'Neal (23)| Shaquille O'Neal (14)| Penny Hardaway (4)| Market Square Arena
16,562| 0–3|-

Player statistics

Ragular season

Player
	PG	82	82	3,015	439	544	190	51	1,313	36.8	5.4	6.6	2.3	.6	16.0
	PG	82	46	2,303	189	503	47	2	815	28.1	2.3	6.1	.6	.0	9.9
	SF	82	37	2,283	218	216	81	32	1,046	27.8	2.7	2.6	1.0	.4	12.8
	C	81	81	3,224	1,072	195	76	231	2,377	39.8	13.2	2.4	.9	2.9	29.3
	SG	81	81	2,811	476	294	134	33	1,277	34.7	5.9	3.6	1.7	.4	15.8
	SF	74	0	1,357	248	61	50	16	547	18.3	3.4	.8	.7	.2	7.4
	SG	70	0	948	120	102	32	12	320	13.5	1.7	1.5	.5	.2	4.6
	PF	68	51	1,536	271	60	23	11	451	22.6	4.0	.9	.3	.2	6.6
	C	45	1	384	96	9	7	35	76	8.5	2.1	.2	.2	.8	1.7
^†	PF	41	20	676	184	32	17	11	144	16.5	4.5	.8	.4	.3	3.5
	PF	34	11	682	123	35	14	4	173	20.1	3.6	1.0	.4	.1	5.1
	C	29	0	309	70	4	2	12	34	10.7	2.4	.1	.1	.4	1.2
	PG	29	0	126	12	9	6	1	73	4.3	.4	.3	.2	.0	2.5
	C	11	0	32	6	1	0	0	8	2.9	.5	.1	.0	.0	.7
^†	SG	4	0	20	4	2	2	0	8	5.0	1.0	.5	.5	.0	2.0
^†	PF	3	0	19	4	2	2	3	2	6.3	1.3	.7	.7	1.0	.7
^†	PF	2	0	2	0	0	0	2	0	1.0	.0	.0	.0	1.0	.0
	C	1	0	3	1	1	0	0	2	3.0	1.0	1.0	.0	.0	2.0

Playoffs

Player
	PG	3	3	133	20	21	5	6	56	44.3	6.7	7.0	1.7	2.0	18.7
	C	3	3	126	40	7	2	9	62	42.0	13.3	2.3	.7	3.0	20.7
	SG	3	3	120	10	10	5	2	43	40.0	3.3	3.3	1.7	.7	14.3
	SF	3	3	99	6	3	2	3	43	33.0	2.0	1.0	.7	1.0	14.3
	PF	3	3	92	25	9	3	2	18	30.7	8.3	3.0	1.0	.7	6.0
	SF	3	0	45	4	5	1	0	21	15.0	1.3	1.7	.3	.0	7.0
	C	3	0	29	3	0	1	1	4	9.7	1.0	.0	.3	.3	1.3
	PF	2	0	40	11	1	0	0	19	20.0	5.5	.5	.0	.0	9.5
	PG	2	0	23	1	3	0	0	9	11.5	.5	1.5	.0	.0	4.5
	SG	2	0	13	0	0	0	0	0	6.5	.0	.0	.0	.0	.0

Awards and honors

• Shaquille O'Neal – All-NBA 3rd team, Field goal percentage leader, All-Star
• Penny Hardaway – All-Rookie 1st Team, Schick Rookie Challenge MVP

References

• Orlando Magic on Database Basketball
• Orlando Magic on Basketball Reference

Notes and References

1. https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/ORL/1994.html 1993-94 Orlando Magic
2. News: Freeman . Mike . PRO BASKETBALL; Kiss of a Giddy G.M.: Magic Snags No. 1 Pick . The New York Times . May 24, 1993 . October 13, 2021.
3. News: Povtak . Tim . Draft '93 Lottery . Orlando Sentinel . May 23, 1993 . September 26, 2022.
4. News: Brown . Clifton . PRO BASKETBALL; Pick and Troll: Magic Trades No. 1 Choice Webber . The New York Times . July 1, 1993 . October 11, 2017.
5. News: Heisler . Mark . THE NBA DRAFT: Big Deal for Warriors: Webber for Hardaway: Basketball: Golden State Finally Gets Someone with Size. Orlando Gets Memphis State Guard to Complement O'Neal . Los Angeles Times . July 1, 1993 . July 25, 2022.
6. News: Wilbon . Michael . Webber Is 1st, Then Traded . The Washington Post . July 1, 1993 . December 4, 2022.
7. News: Landman . Brian . Magic Picks Up a "Penny" . Tampa Bay Times . July 1, 1993 . June 4, 2023.
8. Web site: 1993 NBA Draft . Basketball-Reference . December 4, 2022.
9. News: Magic Promote Hill to Head Coach . United Press International . June 30, 1993 . December 31, 2021.
10. News: Guest . Larry . Hill Will Use Experience from Days at Lehigh . Orlando Sentinel . November 5, 1993 . November 10, 2022.
11. News: NBA Games Played on February 10, 1994 . Basketball-Reference . July 22, 2022.
12. Web site: 1993–94 Orlando Magic Schedule and Results. Basketball-Reference. June 23, 2021.
13. News: Povtak . Tim . Tree Taking Root as Player for Magic . Orlando Sentinel . May 22, 1994 . October 12, 2021.
14. News: Bucks Trade Avent to Magic for Cook, Draft Pick . Deseret News . January 16, 1994 . December 31, 2021.
15. http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nba/orlando/magic.html Orlando Magic (1989-Present)
16. News: Smith . Sam . Armstrong a Surprising All-Star Starter as Fans Ignore Big Names . Chicago Tribune . January 18, 1994 . May 19, 2023.
17. News: All-Stars Are Short on Magic . Orlando Sentinel . February 2, 1994 . May 19, 2023.
18. News: Taylor . Phil . The NBA . Sports Illustrated Vault . February 14, 1994 . January 8, 2023.
19. News: NBA.com Staff . 1994 NBA All-Star Recap . NBA.com . September 13, 2021 . May 19, 2023.
20. Web site: 1994 NBA All-Star Game: East 127, West 118 . Basketball-Reference . November 28, 2021.
21. Web site: 1993–94 Orlando Magic Roster and Stats. Basketball-Reference. June 23, 2021.
22. News: Thomas Jr. . Robert McG. . PRO BASKETBALL; Rockets' Olajuwon Named Most Valuable Player . The New York Times . May 25, 1994 . September 26, 2022.
23. News: Webber Named NBA Rookie of the Year . United Press International . May 3, 1994 . December 21, 2022.
24. News: Associated Press . Webber Chosen Rookie of Year Over Hardaway . Los Angeles Times . May 4, 1994 . July 25, 2022.
25. News: 1993–94 NBA Awards Voting . Basketball-Reference . January 2, 2022.
26. News: Associated Press . PRO BASKETBALL; Pacers Send Magic on a Long Florida Vacation . The New York Times . May 3, 1994 . June 25, 2021.
27. News: Associated Press . NBA ROUNDUP: No Magic for Orlando After Pacer Sweep . Los Angeles Times . May 3, 1994 . December 4, 2022.
28. News: Associated Press . Pacers Bench Shaq, Then Finish Magic Sweep . Deseret News . May 3, 1994 . July 22, 2022.
29. News: 1994 NBA Eastern Conference First Round: Pacers vs. Magic . Basketball-Reference . February 9, 2023.
30. News: Associated Press . PRO BASKETBALL; Grant Leaves the Bulls to Help Solidify Magic . The New York Times . July 30, 1994 . March 17, 2022.
31. News: Eastern Conference . The Washington Post . November 4, 1994 . September 26, 2022.
32. News: Associated Press . PRO BASKETBALL: NOTEBOOK; Hardaway and Webber Dominate Rookie Game . The New York Times . February 13, 1994 . July 25, 2022.
33. News: 1994 NBA Rising Stars: Phenoms 74, Sensations 68 . Basketball-Reference . January 15, 2022.
34. News: Magic Misses Chances . Tampa Bay Times . April 16, 1994 . January 17, 2022.
35. https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1994.html 1993-94 NBA Season Summary - Basketball-Reference.com