In continuation of the Orlando Magic’s 25th anniversary season-long celebration the team will honor former Magic great, Darrell Armstrong, at the Magic’s March 14 matchup vs. the Washington Wizards, tip-off set for 7 p.m. The night will feature a center court presentation at the end of the first quarter. Armstrong will join FOX Sports Florida’s broadcasts including Magic Live pregame show with hosts Paul Kennedy and Nick Anderson and join broadcasters David Steele and Jeff Turner for a portion of the game broadcast. He will also be featured on Magic Drive Time radio show with host Dante Marchitelli on Thursday, March 13 at 5:30 p.m. on 740 The Game. In addition, the first 2,500 fans will receive a collectible 8×10 photo featuring Armstrong and Doron Lamb. Armstrong will be available to the media at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 14 in the Amway Center interview room.
“Legends Nights” is an on-going program which will honor former players/legends throughout the Magic’s Silver Season. Past honorees include Tracy McGrady, Nick Anderson, Pat Williams, Jimmy Hewitt, Dennis Scott, Pat Garrity, Jeff Turner, Sam Vincent, John Gabriel, Bo Outlaw, Horace Grant and Penny Hardaway. In addition to the Magic’s “Legends Nights,” the 2013-14 season will feature the Silver Ticket Sweepstakes and Scratch Off Promotion, special appearances, game entertainment and other events throughout the season.
Armstrong’s professional career began in 1991 playing for the Atlanta Eagles/Trojans of the USBL, from there he spent the next four years playing for teams in the CBA, GBA and overseas. Prior to his stint overseas, he volunteered as an assistant basketball coach and worked the night shift at a yarn factory in Gastonia, NC. He was discovered by then Magic GM John Gabriel and signed as a free agent for the Magic during the 1994-95 season. Armstrong played nine seasons for Orlando from 1994-2003. While with the Magic, he averaged 11.7 ppg., 5.1 apg., 3.3 rpg., and 1.7 stlpg. in 28.4 mpg., and received the NBA Most Improved Player Award and the NBA Sixth Man Award in the same season (1999). In addition to finishing fifth all-time in games played with Orlando (502), Armstrong ranks on the Magic’s all-time franchise list in points (5,898, ninth), assists (2,555, third), steals (830, second), minutes played (14,234 fifth) and 3-point field goals made (654, sixth).
The 25 years of Magic basketball have seen great success for a relatively young franchise including five division championships (1995, 1996, 2008, 2009, 2010), seven 50-plus win seasons and Eastern Conference titles in 1995 and 2009. In addition to its on-the-court success, the team gives more than $2 million to the local community by way of sponsorships of events, donated tickets, autographed merchandise, scholarships and grants. Including more than $18 million distributed to local nonprofit community organizations through the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation and the Orlando Magic Youth Fund (OMYF-MFF), a McCormick Foundation Fund since 1994. Orlando Magic community relations programs annually impact an estimated 100,000 kids each year, while the OMYF-MFF has positively impacted more than 1 million children. The Magic Volunteer Program (MVP), an organizational staff-wide initiative, provides more than 6,000 community volunteer hours per year.
Ticket highlights for the Magic’s 2013-14 Silver Season in the Amway Center, honored with TheStadiumBusiness Awards’ 2013 Customer Experience Award and named SportsBusiness Journal’s 2012 Sports Facility of the Year, include: 2,500 seats priced $20 or less, 8,000 seats priced $40 or less and 9,000 seats priced $50 or under. For ticket information log on to www.orlandomagic.com or call 407-89-MAGIC.
