Last Updated on June 16, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

The Orlando Magic joined the NBA as an expansion franchise in 1989 and have enjoyed one of the most stable ownership situations in professional basketball. Since the team’s founding, the franchise has been controlled by only two principal ownership groups, both closely tied to the DeVos family.

Orlando Magic Ownership Group (1989–1991)

The Magic were awarded an NBA expansion franchise in 1987 to a group of Orlando-area investors led by businessman Jimmy Hewitt and attorney Pat Williams. The ownership group launched the franchise in 1989 and helped establish the NBA in Central Florida. After two seasons, the group sold the team to the DeVos family.

Richard DeVos (1991–2018)

Richard DeVos, co-founder of Amway, purchased the Magic in 1991. Under his ownership, the franchise became one of the NBA’s most successful small-market teams, reaching the NBA Finals in 1995 and 2009.

DeVos invested heavily in the organization’s growth and played a key role in securing a long-term future for the team in Orlando. His ownership brought stability and helped transform the Magic into a respected NBA franchise.

Dan DeVos and the DeVos Family (2018–Present)

Following Richard DeVos’s death in 2018, ownership remained with the DeVos family, with Dan DeVos serving as chairman and principal representative of the ownership group. The family continues to control the franchise and oversee its long-term direction.

Under the DeVos family’s leadership, the Magic have focused on rebuilding through young talent while maintaining their position as one of the NBA’s most stable organizations.

Orlando Magic Ownership Timeline

Owner Years
Orlando Magic Ownership Group 1989–1991
Richard DeVos 1991–2018
Dan DeVos & the DeVos Family 2018–Present

The Magic have had just three ownership eras since entering the NBA in 1989. From the original Orlando investors to the DeVos family’s decades of stewardship, the franchise has benefited from uncommon ownership continuity throughout its history.