Curry Legacy Comes Full Circle as Dell’s No. 30 Heads to the Rafters in Charlotte
SAN FRANCISCO - For all the accolades, records, and unforgettable moments Stephen Curry has stacked up over his 17-year NBA career, there’s one milestone that still feels surreal to him: outlasting his father, Dell Curry, in the league.
“When he played 16 years in the league, that sounded insane to me when I first got to this level,” Steph said after the Warriors’ 136-116 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night. “Now in my 17th year, this is Seth’s 13th - it’s just crazy that I’ve eclipsed that.”
The moment carried extra weight, not just because the Warriors beat Dell’s old squad, but because the Curry family’s basketball legacy is about to be immortalized in a new way. The Hornets recently announced they’ll retire Dell Curry’s No. 30 jersey in March - a nod to the man who helped shape the franchise’s early identity and laid the foundation for one of the most influential basketball families the game has ever seen.
For Steph and Seth, who are now teammates for the first time in their NBA careers, the honor hits home in a way few outside the family can truly understand.
A Family Affair, Nearly 40 Years in the Making
Dell Curry spent a decade with the Hornets, becoming the team’s original sharpshooter and longtime face of the franchise. He was Charlotte’s all-time leading scorer until Kemba Walker came along, and even after retirement, he never really left - serving as a broadcaster and ambassador for the team for over a decade.
This week, Dell made the trip to the Bay Area to spend time with his sons and their families. He even squeezed in a Duke game - Seth’s alma mater - before getting back behind the mic to call Saturday’s matchup. The timing couldn’t have been better.
“It means a lot to carry that legacy,” Seth said before the game. “Growing up watching the way he went about things on the court, but more importantly off the court with his foundation, just being a good, genuine person. That stuff matters.”
That character, both brothers believe, is just as responsible for the jersey retirement as Dell’s stats or longevity.
From the Rafters to the Roots
For Steph, the emotions ran deeper. After Thursday’s win over the Knicks, he reflected on what the moment means - not just for Dell, but for the entire Curry family.
“Special, special,” he said. “The Curry name, especially in Charlotte - we call him the originator.
When the expansion draft happened in ’88, our family moved there, set up shop, and he was part of the original Hornets team. He was the last original Hornet to leave.”
While Bobby Phills remains the only Hornets player with a jersey retired, Dell will be the first to receive the honor purely for his play. That distinction isn’t lost on his sons - or the league.
Steph couldn’t help but tease his dad for getting emotional during the announcement, but the pride was unmistakable. The family plans to be in Charlotte for the ceremony, and for the Curry brothers, it’s a chance to honor the man who’s been their blueprint - both on and off the court.
“Around Charlotte, He’s Still That Guy”
While Steph and Seth have built their own legacies - Steph as the greatest shooter the game has ever seen, and Seth as a respected veteran and elite three-point marksman - in Charlotte, Dell Curry is still the name that resonates.
“Around Charlotte, he’s still that guy,” Seth said. “From three generations - watched him as a player, listened to him as a broadcaster, and he’s done countless things in the community.
He’s one of the staples in the Charlotte community. Him and some of the NASCAR guys.”
That community impact is a key part of Dell’s legacy. It’s also what makes the jersey retirement feel so earned - not just for what he did with a basketball, but for how he carried himself when the cameras weren’t rolling.
Respect Across the League
Inside the Warriors’ locker room, Dell’s influence is felt just as strongly. Draymond Green, never one to mince words, offered his own tribute.
“Steph is obviously Steph, but Dell is one of the pioneers,” Green said. “He has that respect amongst everyone - not just us or the young guys.
You see Dell amongst the OGs, the respect is there. And then obviously, what he’s passed down, or given back to the game through his sons, makes it all the more special.”
Green often quotes former assistant coach Pete Myers, who preached the importance of leaving the game better than you found it. For Green, Dell Curry embodies that idea.
“Steph has changed the game of basketball - as a disciple of Dell Curry,” Green said. “There’s not many people who’ve been around the NBA that long and continue to give to the game in different ways.
He’s been that. I’m happy I’ve gotten the opportunity to be teammates with his sons - both of them - because it’s an honor.”
From Father to Sons, the Legacy Grows
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who played against Dell and now coaches both of his sons, echoed that sentiment. He’s long admired the way Dell and Sonya Curry raised their family and sees the jersey retirement as a fitting tribute to a player who meant everything to a franchise - even if he’s not headed to the Hall of Fame.
“I always like seeing teams retire the numbers of players who were hugely impactful to their franchise,” Kerr said. “Guys who meant so much to an organization.
Dell’s one of the originals. So it was pretty cool to see that.”
And as for the numbers? After Steph’s 14-point outing on Saturday, the Curry family has now combined for 44,458 points in the NBA. That’s not just a stat - it’s a testament to the consistency, skill, and dedication passed down from father to sons.
For Seth, one detail stands out more than any other.
“The coolest thing for me when they told me is that I would be the last person to wear number 30,” he said. “So that’s a dope story to tell.”
It’s more than a story - it’s a legacy. And come March, that legacy will hang in the rafters in Charlotte, where it all began.