"One Superman down": Dwight Howard doubles down on Magic jersey retirement wish after Shaquille O'Neal tribute

Dwight Howard remains adamant that the Orlando Magic should retire his No. 12 jersey following the team's decision to honor Shaquille O'Neal. Howard congratulated Shaq for having his No. 32 retired by the Magic while calling for his own jersey retirement.

Shaq became the first player in Magic history to have his jersey retired on Tuesday night. The franchise honored him with a ceremony attended by several team legends like Anfernee Hardaway, Nick Anderson, Dennis Scott and other members of the 1995 NBA Finals team.

Howard, who was watching the ceremony from elsewhere, congratulated O'Neal but called on the Magic to honor him as well.

"Congrats to Shaq," Howard wrote. "One Superman down. Thank you Magic."

Some fans agreed with Dwight Howard, who many think is the greatest player in Orlando Magic history. He spent nine seasons with the team, while Shaquille O'Neal was only there for four.

Both players led the Magic to the NBA Finals, with Shaq's team losing to the Houston Rockets in 1995 and Howard's losing to the LA Lakers in 2009, but Howard might have done more for the franchise than his former rival.

Nevertheless, both players deserve the honor of getting their jerseys on the rafters of the Kia Center. Shaq was the team's first superstar and put the franchise on the map, while Howard revived the buzz surrounding the team before requesting a trade in 2012.

---

---

Dwight Howard's real feelings about Magic jersey retirement

Dwight Howard spent nine seasons with the Orlando Magic.

Dwight Howard had no problem with the Orlando Magic retiring Shaquille O'Neal's jersey before him. However, Howard reckons some fans wouldn't even associate Shaq with the Magic because of the things he did for the LA Lakers.

"Superman" discussed getting his jersey honored, on the "All-Stars" Podcast by Strong Group Philippines. He pointed out how other Magic legends like himself, Penny Hardaway and Tracy McGrady deserve to get the same treatment from the franchise.

"I understand that people are upset about certain things," Howard said. "But facts over feelings. The facts show that these guys are the pillars of the Orlando Magic - Shaq, Penny, T-Mac, and Dwight.

"When you hear about the Orlando Magic, who do you think about? It's one of the four guys. … You might not even think about Shaq first because you're gonna think about Shaq with the Lakers."

Howard was a six-time All-Star with the Magic, while Shaq was dominant in his four years in Orlando.

McGrady was the face of the team for a short period but was dominant on offense. Hardaway was in Orlando longer than Shaq, but his injuries eventually derailed his career.

---