1993–94 Orlando Magic season

The 1993–94 Orlando Magic season was the fifth season for the Orlando Magic in the National Basketball Association. Despite narrowly missing the playoffs with a 41–41 record the previous season, the Magic received unexpected good fortune by winning the NBA draft lottery for the second consecutive year, despite having the worst odds. In the 1993 NBA draft, the Magic selected power forward Chris Webber from the University of Michigan with the first overall pick, but soon traded him to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for rookie shooting guard Penny Hardaway from the University of Memphis, and three future first-round draft picks. During the off-season, the team signed free agent Larry Krystkowiak, and hired assistant coach Brian Hill as their new head coach.

Under Hill, and with the addition of Hardaway, the Magic got off to a 16–12 start to the regular season, and later on held a 27–20 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, the team signed assistant coach Tree Rollins to a player contract, and acquired second-year forward Anthony Avent from the Milwaukee Bucks. The Magic posted a seven-game winning streak in February, and finished in second place in the Atlantic Division with a solid 50–32 record, earning the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, and qualifying for their first ever NBA playoff appearance in franchise history.

Shaquille O'Neal averaged 29.3 points, 13.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, 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, along with 101 three-point field goals, while three-point specialist Dennis Scott contributed 12.8 points per game, and led the Magic with 155 three-point field goals, and Scott Skiles provided with 9.9 points and 6.1 assists per game. Meanwhile, Donald Royal contributed 7.4 points per game, Jeff Turner averaged 6.6 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, Krystkowiak provided with 5.1 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, but only appeared in just 34 games, and Anthony Bowie contributed 4.6 points per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, O'Neal was selected for the 1994 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Eastern Conference All-Star team, while Hardaway was selected for the inaugural NBA Rookie Game, as a member of the Sensations team. Hardaway scored 22 points along with 3 assists, and was named the Rookie Game's Most Valuable Player, despite the Sensations losing to the Phenoms team, 74–68. O'Neal also finished in fourth place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Hardaway finished in second place in Rookie of the Year voting behind Webber.

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1994 NBA playoffs, the Magic faced off against the 5th–seeded Indiana Pacers, who were led by Reggie Miller, Rik Smits and Derrick McKey. The Magic lost the first two games to the Pacers at home at the Orlando Arena by a total of three points, before losing Game 3 on the road, 99–86 at the Market Square Arena, thus losing the series in a three-game sweep; it was also O'Neal's first ever NBA playoff appearance.

The Magic finished 14th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 626,931 at the Orlando Arena during the regular season. Following the season, Skiles was traded to the Washington Bullets after five seasons with the Magic, and Krystkowiak signed as a free agent with the Chicago Bulls.