Dell Curry. David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Hornets announce jersey retirement for franchise legend

By Andrew Wright | Last updated Jan 14, 2026 1:02 PM ET

Muggsy Bogues, Larry Johnson, Kemba Walker, Dell Curry; those could arguably be the four best players in Charlotte Hornets franchise history.

An announcement Wednesday revealed that the infamous No. 30 worn by Dell Curry during his Hornets career will be retired this season.

Dell Curry deserves to have his No. 30 retired

Curry spent 10 of his 16 seasons in the NBA with Charlotte. In his time with the Hornets, Curry averaged 14 points per game while shooting an astonishing 40.5 percent from three-point range. Of his 701 games with the Hornets, Curry started just 77 of those.

He won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award in 1993 and had three more seasons finishing top five in Sixth Man of the Year voting.

Making four out of every 10 threes attempted made Curry one of the best three-point shooters of his era, and he is still considered among the game's greatest shooters.

The Charlotte Hornets are retiring Dell Curry’s No. 30 jersey on March 19, sources tell ESPN. Curry, the 1994 Sixth Man of the Year, ranks second in points in franchise history and spent 10 of his 16 NBA seasons in Charlotte (1988-98). He currently serves as a team ambassador. pic.twitter.com/coSL3ntP5a
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 14, 2026

Dell Curry has meant so much to the Charlotte franchise

2026 is long past Curry's playing days, but he is still an active member of the Hornets organization. He serves as a team ambassador, as well as a color commentator for most of the team's games. In total, between playing days and commentary, Curry is in the midst of his 27th season with the organization.

He has excellent relationships with some of Charlotte's top players such as LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller and others. It feels fairly safe to assume that Curry has thoroughly enjoyed watching Knueppel, a sharpshooter, in his rookie season.

A jersey retirement for one of the franchise's icons is long overdue and seeing No. 30 hang in rafters of the Spectrum Center will be an excellent addition.

Andrew Wright

Andrew "Dew" Wright graduated from Charleston Southern University with a degree in Communication Studies. He is a lifelong Chicago Cubs and Washington Commanders fan.

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