Orlando Magic Forward Jason Maxiell Will Bring Back Horace Grant Goggles

Horace Grant's goggles live on.

The Orlando Magic's Jason Maxiell will be sporting some retro-looking eyewear in 2013-14 after undergoing surgery late last season to repair a detached retina, according to the Orlando Sentinel's Josh Robbins:

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Maxiell has worn a relatively fashionable pair of Wilson glasses during Magic practices. But soon he expects to receive goggles that resemble the eyewear Horace Grant donned during Grant’s days with the Chicago Bulls and the Magic.

Maxiell doesn’t expect the new goggles to be ready for Wednesday night’s preseason opener against the New Orleans Pelicans in Jacksonville.

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Maxiell elaborated on his choice, saying: 

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Coming up I probably will have more of a Horace Grant-look goggles, try to bring those back and have a little fun with that.

He is the reason why I’m wearing No. 54. When I was growing up in Chicago, yeah, he might’ve had the world’s greatest [Michael Jordan] on his team, but otherwise it was Horace. I modeled myself after him and also a little bit after Charles Barkley.

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First things first: Maxiell is my new favorite person for referencing Michael Jordan and Grant in the same breath.

Second, if you need a quick, crash-course reminder of what those battle-tested spectacles look like, here you go:

These belong back in the NBA. They were so much fun to look at and made Grant easy to recognize. Numbers can be confusing and misleading.

Is that Anthony Bowie at No. 14? No, it's David Vaughn at No. 42. Never mind, it's Shaquille O'Neal at No. 32. Or is it Grant No. 54? 

Fans, announcers and anyone who was numerically challenged had it tough in Orlando during the mid-1990s. Grant's oversized lenses really must have cleared up some chronic identification issues.

Alright, you caught me. I'm lying like my pants are on fire, or Fletcher Reede before his son makes a birthday wish.

But that doesn't change how awesome it is that Maxiell's bringing back what may be the greatest piece of NBA eyewear ever. Way better than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's. That's for damn sure.

Grant's goggles were big, bold and oftentimes blue. And they made him look like a cross between an old-school pilot, the Amar'e Stoudemire of today and Gordon from Dodgeball.

So wear these specs proudly, Jason. Also make sure they're made properly.

Think a little less Gordon, a little more Johnny Depp walking down the red carpet.

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