The Magic selected Shaquille O’Neal on June 24, 1992, with the No. 1 overall pick. O’Neal went on to become the 1993 NBA Rookie of the Year, made multiple NBA All-Star Game appearances, led the Magic to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history and helped the team reach the NBA Finals before he left Central Florida.
The franchise drafted Dwight Howard on June 24, 2004, with the No. 1 overall pick. Howard took a bit longer to hit his stride, but he would go on to earn multiple NBA Defensive Player of the Year honors.