1.) Dell Curry
Dell Curry benefits the most from the longevity argument. Progeny aside, there was never anything particularly special about Wardell Curry I. Dell never lead the league in three-point field goals, despite being known primarily for long distance shooting. While that can be explained by his role as a sixth man for most of his career, Curry only led the NBA in three-point percentage one time in his career.
Don’t get me wrong, Dell was a fantastic shooter, especially for the era he played in. In fact, his career mark of 40.2% from deep is top 30 in the league’s history. A player like Curry would undoubtedly be very valuable in today’s game. That doesn’t change the fact that he’s not the type of guy that comes to mind when thinking about the most important players in a franchise’s history.
With that said, no one hangs around the NBA for 16 seasons by accident. Curry’s penchant for stabilizing bench units year in and year out provided the Hornets some much-needed continuity amongst the roster’s tumult in the mid-90s. While stars came and went throughout the decade, Dell played over 17,000 minutes in 701 games as a Hornet. As a result, Curry has a place in the top 10 of every single traditional counting statistic in franchise history:
| Statistic | Curry | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Games Played | 701 | 1st |
| Minutes | 17613 | 2nd |
| Points | 9839 | 1st |
| Rebounds | 2022 | 7th |
| Assists | 1429 | 8th |
| Steals | 747 | 3rd |
| Blocks | 186 | 10th |
| 3PT Field Goals | 929 | 1st |
| Personal Fouls | 1357 | 1st |
| Turnovers | 982 | 4th |
| Free Throws Made | 1008 | 7th |
Curry’s involvement with Charlotte on and off the court cements his place on this list. Dell was quite literally the original Hornet. Charlotte used its first pick in the 1988 expansion draft to select Curry from the Cavaliers. Dell was a young man and a new father upon his arrival in Charlotte. Curry went from being an end of the bench after thought to one of the premier sixth men in the league. After playing for two teams in two seasons, Dell became a beacon of stability during a decade spent in Charlotte.
The Queen City watched the Curry family grow, as the young Stephen was joined by siblings Seth and Sydel. The Curry children were always present, whether shooting around on the court after a game, making friends with the team on the sidelines, or in the stands for a game. Dell’s family became Charlotte’s family in those years.
The Curry connection to The Tar Heel state remains strong to this day. All three of Dell’s children attended college in North Carolina. The Dell Curry foundation has helped at-risk youth in Charlotte since 1998. And, of course, Dell is the color commentator for Hornets games on Fox Sports South. There is truly no greater Hornet than Dell Curry.