The Charlotte Hornets are set to honor the legendary Dell Curry by retiring his No. 30 jersey during a special halftime ceremony on March 19, as announced by the team on Wednesday. This momentous event will take place at the Spectrum Center during a game against the Orlando Magic and represents a pivotal occasion for the franchise. With this tribute, Curry joins the late Bobby Phills as just the second player in Hornets history to receive such an accolade.
Curry was part of the original squad when the team was established in 1988 and dedicated a decade of his career to the Hornets. He emerged as an exceptional shooter during a transformative era for the NBA in the Carolinas, becoming synonymous with the team's identity. His outstanding performance earned him the NBA Sixth Man of the Year title for the 1993-94 season, and he still holds the record for the most games played in team history, appearing in 701 contests and ranking second in total points scored with an impressive 9,839.
The news of Curry's jersey retirement was revealed to him unexpectedly by Hornets co-chairmen Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin. In a heartfelt joint statement, they highlighted Curry's pivotal role within the organization over the last 25 years, acknowledging that his influence extends well beyond his days as a player and praising his professionalism and dedication to the Charlotte community.
In response to this recognition, Curry conveyed his sincere appreciation, admitting that he had never envisioned his jersey being retired. Even after hanging up his sneakers in 2002, he has remained closely tied to the franchise, currently enjoying his 17th season as a television color analyst and fulfilling the role of a franchise ambassador.
Moreover, the ceremony will celebrate the Curry family's lasting legacy in basketball. Dell Curry is not only the father of Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry but also of current Hornets guard Seth Curry. Notably, during the previous season, Seth wore the No. 30 jersey to pay homage to his father, but he has made the switch to No. 31 to ensure that the original No. 30 remains intact for this significant retirement event.
