In January, we saw Dell Curry’s raw reaction to a huge surprise. So the state of North Caroline thought, let’s see it again. Four decades after Michael Jordan was celebrated by his hometown, the NBA star dad has been recognized for all he’s done in North Carolina beyond the Charlotte Hornets. It gets even more special because of the surprise factor.

The atmosphere inside the Spectrum Center was already electric as the Charlotte Hornets prepared to hoist Dell Curry’s iconic No. 30 into the rafters on Thursday night. However, the evening’s most profound moment occurred behind the scenes during a pre-game reception. Ahead of his jersey retirement, the Hornets patriarch was blindsided by the state’s highest civilian honor: The Order of the Long Leaf Pine.

Presented by North Carolina Governor Josh Stein, the award is a rare distinction reserved for those who have made a “remarkable impact” on the state. The same honor was famously bestowed upon Michael Jordan in 1985, 41 years prior to this week’s ceremony. MJ was still a rookie NBA star out of UNC. Dell Curry would enter the NBA a year later, as the 15th overall pick of the 1986 draft.

​The surprise left the typically composed Curry visibly moved. As per a local news reporter at the event, his expression shifted his celebratory smile into a “good kind of grimace” as he fought back tears. “This is an award that is reserved for people who’ve made a remarkable impact on the state that we love… People like Michael Jordan. Like Dale Earnhardt. Like Billy Graham. Like Dell Curry,” Governor Stein declared during the five-minute presentation.

The gravity of the moment was not lost on his son, NBA superstar Stephen Curry, who was seen capturing the memory on his iPhone alongside siblings Seth and Sydel.

Steph and Seth are currently on the Warriors injury list. Steph was travelling with the team on the week-long road trip while working his way back to the court. As the Dubs are set to play against the Pistons tomorrow, Steph had the break to join his dad in Charlotte, the city that’s just as grateful to him as the Bay.

Dell, who also received a key to the city of Charlotte earlier in the evening, was the second Curry to earn that honor. With Stephen Curry having received the key to the city in 2022, Dell’s dual honors on Thursday make them the only father-son duo in history to hold both the city’s highest key and the state’s highest civilian order simultaneously.

After the series of honors, the Curry patriarch admitted the spotlight was overwhelming. “It’s uncomfortable for me to celebrate myself… [the jersey] represents everybody in this room. Not just me,” he told the intimate crowd of 50 dignitaries and family members.

Dell Curry’s journey from the first Hornet to State Icon

​The retirement of the No. 30 jersey marks a full-circle moment for the man who was the Hornets’ very first pick in the 1988 expansion draft. While Dell Curry remains a franchise leader in several statistical categories, his impact on North Carolina basketball extends far beyond his 10 seasons in Charlotte.

According to The Charlotte Observer, the evening served as a testament to the senior Curry’s character, a trait noted by legendary Davidson coach Bob McKillop, who was in attendance. McKillop famously recruited Steph Curry after watching Dell’s poise as a father in the bleachers of youth games decades ago.

In addition to the state and city honors, the Hornets organization pulled out all the stops to celebrate the man who has spent the last 15 years as the team’s color commentator. They had surprised Dell in January by announcing his jersey retirement in what the man thought was a standard sit-down interview. The announcement came with special video messages from his three kids. Former teammates Muggsy Bogues and Rex Chapman joined the festivities, sharing stories of the 1990s-era Hornets.

The honor puts Curry in an elite bracket of North Carolina sports figures. While Michael Jordan received his Order of the Long Leaf Pine following his legendary career at UNC and his early dominance with the Bulls, Curry’s award recognizes nearly four decades of service to the Charlotte community as a player, ambassador, and philanthropist.

As the banner was unveiled next to the late Bobby Phills’ No. 13, the night solidified the Currys as the “First Family” of Charlotte sports. For a man who shot a 73 on the golf course earlier that morning, the jersey retirement was simply the “perfect ending” to a historic day in the Queen City.