The Next Trick Is Signing O’Neal : NBA lottery: The Magic now must try to attract one more tourist to Orlando, this one a 7-1 basketball star from LSU.

Pat Williams, president of the Orlando Magic, toted a bag filled with lucky charms and a box of Lucky Charms cereal to the NBA draft lottery the last two seasons.

But the lucky tokens didn’t bring the Magic any luck, as Orlando failed to win the NBA lottery, which determines the first three picks in the NBA draft.

Williams took a different approach for the 1992 NBA lottery, taking no good luck charms with him to the studios of NBA Entertainment, where the NBA lottery was conducted Sunday.

Williams’ new tack worked, as the Magic hit the jackpot, winning the NBA lottery and the right to select 7-foot-1 center Shaquille O’Neal of Louisiana State in the NBA draft on June 24 in Portland.

“Over the years, we’ve brought lucky charms, but maybe this was the way to do it,” Williams said. “The best way to prepare for the lottery is to get lots of Ping-Pong balls (which are used in the lottery drawing).”

Although Leonard Armato, O’Neal’s agent, said last week that O’Neal wants to play for the Lakers or Clippers, who didn’t participate in the lottery, Williams said the Magic won’t trade O’Neal.

“Fortunately, we’re not at the point where players can get to pick the teams they play for,” Williams said. “We’re the L.A. of the East, anyway. We’re closer to his home (San Antonio), and I don’t know of any players in the league who wouldn’t want to play in Orlando.”

Williams, who plans to bring O’Neal to Orlando next week, doesn’t think he’ll have difficulty persuading O’Neal to play there.

“Everybody else wants to come to Orlando,” Williams said. “Thirty-seven million people a year come to Disney World (located in Orlando). It’s the No. 1 tourist attraction in the world, and we want to attract one more big tourist (O’Neal).”

Although Williams said the Magic will listen to trade offers, he said he doesn’t envision trading the No. 1 pick.

“We’re not interested in trading the pick at this point,” Williams said. “We will listen to (offers from) all the clubs, but there are only a handful of players like this, and you don’t trade them.”

After watching Orlando secure the top pick, Armato said: “I’m excited for the team. I think they handled themselves in a real classy manner. All of a sudden a whole new world has opened up. It’s certainly the beginning of our very little journey.

“We’re both really happy for them (Orlando) because they seem like good people. It’s just nice to know which team it is that has those rights and . . . what position that team is going to take.”

What’s the next step for Armato? “The next step is to sit down with Shaquille and his family and begin to outline the various options that he has,” Armato said. “We want to be very respectful of them (Orlando) in every way.”

What was O’Neal’s reaction to Orlando getting the No. 1 pick?

“I think his reaction was . . . one of enthusiasm,” Armato said. “I think that he was relieved that this little waiting game was over. I think he was flattered by the comments of--what was the general manager’s name again?--Williams . . . Pat Williams.”

Williams predicted that O’Neal, who averaged 24.1 points, 14 rebounds and 5.2 blocked shots last season, will become an NBA star.

“Ultimately, in this league you win with special players like Dr. J, Kareem, Larry Bird or Magic Johnson,” Williams said. “I get the sense that O’Neal is a special player. But it’s too soon to be talking playoffs and dancing in the streets. He’s only 20 years old and not finished offensively, but on ability, potential, size and power, he’s the class of the draft.”

Although O’Neal will reportedly seek a contract worth $5 million per season, Williams thinks he’ll be able to sign O’Neal. “I would rather not negotiate in public,” Williams said. “Just like any other signing, it’s going to take time. It’s sometimes difficult, but it always gets done.”

Although O’Neal is clearly the best player available, the draft also will include players such as centers Alonzo Mourning of Georgetown and Christian Laettner of Duke and guards Harold Miner of USC and Jimmy Jackson of Ohio State.

The Charlotte Hornets, who selected Larry Johnson after winning the the lottery last year, got the No. 2 pick this season. Hornet Coach Allan Bristow said he wore the same suit and tie and stayed at the same hotel as he did last year and he even brought his lucky turkey caller with him again.

Bristow, who said the Hornets need a defensive specialist, said Charlotte will probably draft Mourning. Voted the Big East defensive player of the year last season, Mourning averaged 21.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 5.0 blocked shots.

The Minnesota Timberwolves, who would have drafted no lower than fourth after finishing with the NBA’s worst record last season, won the No. 3 pick.

Bob Stein, Timberwolves president, declined to disclose whom Minnesota will draft.

While the lottery determines the top three draft picks, the eight other lottery teams will draft in inverse order of their records.

Dallas will pick fourth and Denver will select fifth, Washington will be sixth, followed by Sacramento, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Houston.

The Lakers and Clippers, who didn’t make the lottery, will draft 15th and 16th, respectively.

Staff writer Gene Wojciechowski contributed to this story.