Unknown date, 1995; Charlotte, NC, USA; FILE PHOTO; Charlotte Hornets shooting guard Dell Curry (30) in action at Charlotte Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-Imagn Images RVR Photos-Imagn Images

Stephen Curry Made Big-Screen Debut Years Before Becoming NBA Superstar

Originally posted on Back in the Day NBA on SI
By Shandel Richardson | Last updated Jun 20, 2025 7:45 AM ET

Future NBA Hall of Famer Stephen Curry was a household name after leading Davidson to a surprise run to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament in 2008. While it was the first time he was in the national spotlight, it wasn't his big-screen debut.

Curry and younger brother Seth starred in a Burger King commercial with their father. Dell Curry was a 3-point specialist during the 1990s, mostly known for his time with the Charlotte Hornets. The ad shows the two boys watching Dad shoot jumpers on a playground. While on the sideline, Steph is enticing his father to take him to Burger King after leaving the court.

Before Steph Curry was lighting up defenses, Dell was one of the league's most feared shooters. He made his mark most with the Hornets when he teamed with Alonzo Mourning, Kendall Gill and Larry Johnson in the early 1990s. The Hornets weren't far removed from being an expansion team when they upset the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 1993 Eastern Conference playoffs.

Dell Curry averaged 13.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists on 40 percent 3-point shooting in the five-game series. They lost to the New York Knicks in the next round but were expected to become one of the league's best teams. After a first-round loss to the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls, Gill was traded to Seattle the next summer, leading an exodus from Charlotte. Johnson left for the Knicks while Mourning joined the Miami Heat.

This article first appeared on Back in the Day NBA on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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