Dell Curry knew something was up the moment Eric Collins, his ebullient partner on Charlotte Hornets television broadcasts, suddenly was at a loss for words.
Curry had been brought into the Hornets facility on a lark. Hornets chief communications officer Mike Cristaldi told him that they needed him to participate in a one-on-one interview with Collins and then a panel discussion with team ownership about the direction of the franchise and the future of a young team that is showing progress.
But it was all a ruse. As Collins started to stammer at the end of his discussion, he told the beloved former Hornets player to look up at a screen on the court. A logo flipped around to reveal that the Hornets planned to retire Curry’s No. 30 jersey, the highest honor a franchise can bestow upon a player.
When a contingent including co-chairmen Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin, GM Jeff Peterson and head coach Charles Lee entered to greet Curry, it started to sink in.
“I just lost it,” Curry told The Athletic. “I had no idea. So it was really neat how they kept it from me for over a month and … really neat how they told me.”
The Hornets announced Wednesday that Curry’s jersey will be retired in a ceremony on March 19 against the Orlando Magic. He will become the second player in team history have the honor, joining guard Bobby Phills, whose No. 13 was retired in 2000 after he was killed in a car accident.
On March 19th, No. 30 will be raised to the rafters.
Dell Curry’s lasting legacy as a player, broadcaster, and ambassador for more than 25 years with our organization will forever be honored and celebrated.
🔗 https://t.co/CwvIXYB1HQ | @realdellcurry pic.twitter.com/N7s5iOxAmB
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) January 14, 2026
In so many ways, Curry has been synonymous with the Hornets. He was the franchise’s first draft pick, chosen in the 1988 expansion draft. He spent 10 years with the Hornets as a player, becoming one of the original, high-volume 3-point marksmen in the league, the Splash Father who sired the shooter who would one day change the game.
He won Sixth Man of the Year in 1994 and retired as the team’s career leader in games played, scoring and 3-pointers made.More than a quarter-century after he last played for the Hornets, he still sits atop the career games played list (701) and is second in scoring.
Curry has spent the last 17 years as the team’s color analyst on television and as a Hornets ambassador in the community, a beloved figure in the Charlotte area.
“Dell Curry has been a cornerstone of the Charlotte Hornets for more than 25 years — both on and off the court,” Schnall and Plotkin said in a statement. “He exemplifies what it means to be a Hornet through his professionalism, work ethic and commitment to excellence. Dell’s impact on our organization, our fans and our community is undeniable, and he is truly deserving of this honor.”
The path from the early part of Curry’s playing career to having his number immortalized was a winding one. After one season in Utah and another in Cleveland, the Hornets plucked him from the Cavs in the expansion draft. At the time, Curry was still trying to establish himself as a player. He saw his arrival in Charlotte with a team starting from scratch as his first real opportunity to prove himself.
“How am I going to make a career out of this?” Curry said he thought to himself as he joined the Hornets. “The city totally embraced me and my family from the onset. Then I happened to make a few shots, and it was off to the races.”
In an era when the 3-point shot was still viewed as a gimmick rather than the staple it is today, Curry ranked in the NBA’s top 10 in 3-point percentage five times in his 10 seasons in Charlotte. He made over 40 percent of his 3s in each of his last seven seasons in Charlotte and was the only NBA player to do that during that timeframe.
Curry helped lead the Hornets to three 50-plus win seasons, including the franchise’s first playoff victory against the Boston Celtics in 1993. The Hornets were a cultural phenomenon in that era, with their teal and purple color scheme and stinging hornet logo becoming one of the most popular in the league. Curry was a big part of the on-court success, alongside teammates that included Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning, Kendall Gill and Muggsy Bogues.
He recalled getting a standing ovation after the Hornets lost to the Cavaliers by 40 points in their inaugural game in 1988 and smiled as he remembered fans showing up in tuxedos and lavish gowns to welcome the NBA to Charlotte.
“I watched the city grow to what it is now, and it’s amazing, and I fit right in,” Curry said. “It’s continued to keep its arms around me and my family. So to have this happen in a place that I can now call home, it’s pretty unbelievable.”
Curry made his mark off the court as well, staying active in the Charlotte community and connecting with a new generation of fans through his television work.
“I don’t think this happens without that part of it,” Curry said. “Charlotte wrapped its arms around me. And I feel like I’m one of theirs now.”
He has also had a hand in the way the game has evolved, with his son, Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, becoming one of the greatest players ever. Dell Curry said the timing of his retirement was also special because his younger son, Seth, was the last player to wear No. 30 for the Hornets last season.
In recent weeks, after learning that the honor was coming his way, Curry has taken a moment before each Hornets road game to look up at the rafters at the jerseys hanging. It is a place for legends, for champions, for those who have left an enduring mark on the franchise.
“Wow, did I really deserve this?” Curry thought to himself. “This is the highest honor. And everybody that I’ve told has all said no, absolutely you deserve it.”