Dell Curry's jersey to be retired by the Hornets. 'I can't put it into words.'

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Anticipating the big day, Dell Curry’s enthusiasm and appreciation was apparent.

“The scheduling, everything’s going to work out — I just got to stay alive for that,” Curry said with a chuckle. “It’s going to be a great night having everybody who’s been a part of my life there to help celebrate.”

Curry, one of the most recognizable faces in history of the Charlotte Hornets, was referring to the evening that’s now circled on the virtual calendar on his iPhone: March 19. That’s when the Hornets will retire his No. 30 jersey and lift it into the Spectrum Center rafters, sending the team’s longtime TV color analyst into true legendary status during a ceremony before Charlotte hosts the Orlando Magic.

Curry will become just the second player in franchise history to have the distinguished honor, joining Bobby Phills, whose No. 13 was retired on Feb. 9, 2000, about a month after his death. Curry has registered more than a quarter-century of years with the Hornets as a player, broadcaster and team ambassador, highlighted by the decade he suited up from 1988-98.

It’s going to be a full circle moment for the 61-year-old.

“I can’t put it into words,” Curry told The Charlotte Observer. “And I keep asking myself, ‘Wow, is this deserving?’ But the people that I ask, they quickly say, ‘Yes, it is.’ I’ve been so blessed to play in a city for 10 years, raised my kids there, and then call the Panthers, the Hornets, the whole deal (home teams). Seth coming back (to play). I can’t put into words what this means. It’s forever. It’s going to be forever.”

“I was telling Steph, it’s just like having an exit sign off of 77. It’s forever. So, no, it’s unbelievable. Words wouldn’t do justice of how I feel about this. I’m humbled, blessed. So proud, grateful.”

Curry particularly thanked Hornets’ co-owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin. The duo spearheaded the move, continuing a trend of propping up the franchise for the present and future and also ensuring to pay homage to the nostalgic years that featured some of the best times of pro basketball in Charlotte.

“Gabe and Rick, they didn’t have to do this,” Curry said. “But I think them recognizing the history of the Hornets and how long I’ve been around and what I’ve done, not ever trying to do it to get my jersey in the rafters … I’m just being me. It means the world, I’ll tell you. I can’t even put into words how I feel.”

‘They got me good’

He’s as stunned now as he was when — and how — he found out about the honor.

The Hornets basically set him up.

“Man, they got me good,” Curry said. “I had no idea.”

In a partial charade guise arranged by Mike Cristaldi, the team’s vice president of communications, and his longtime TV partner Eric Collins, Curry was the victim of a gotcha moment. Collins and Cristaldi orchestrated an elaborate setup, under the pretense of filming a state-of-the-team interview about his career along with new ownership and the team’s new performance center under construction across the street from the arena.

Cristaldi sent Curry a list of detailed questions, leading him to prepare extensively.

“I’m like, ‘Damn, OK,' ” Curry said, recalling his confusion. “I looked at the questions. I’m like, ‘Man, these are deep.’ Normally, I can answer any question. I’m like, ‘Let me study up on this so I don’t sound like I don’t know what I’m talking about.’ So I get there, they wire me up, me and Eric, and we walk out. And the production, I was like, ‘Wow. Went all out on the production, right?’

“He was like, ‘Yeah, we want to make sure we do it right.’ I’m like, ‘Where’s this going?’ He says, ‘Going to social. All our socials. We’ll use it on the broadcast.’ He goes, ‘So, we need good quality.’ I’m like, ‘OK, well, all right, whatever.’ ”

During the staged interview, Collins went slightly off script.

“I sit down and Eric starts talking, and he’s asking me questions,” Curry said. “The questions are similar to what Mike sent me, but nothing in depth. And I’m answering, but I’m in the back of my mind, I’m thinking, ‘Wow, Eric.’ And Eric asked me beforehand, ‘Dell, did you look at the questions?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, I actually studied. Went over with my wife. Yeah, made sure I was saying what I wanted to answer the questions.’

“I’m like, ‘Man, this is not quite as detailed as the questions Mike sent out.’ ”

Roughly 20-25 minutes elapsed and Collins was about to wrap it up.

“Eric goes, ‘OK, Dell, I got one more thing,” Curry said. “And he starts stuttering up. I’m thinking, ‘OK, what’s going on? This dude is never at a loss for words, and he’s screwing up.’ He’s screwing up the interview, man. But he pauses. He goes, ‘One other thing. They’re going to retire your jersey.’ And I’m like, ‘What?’ ”

Collins big proponent in Curry’s jersey retirement

It all came as a complete shock. The production team went to great lengths to keep the secret — even excluding his wife, Nicki, from the plan to ensure her genuine surprise. Curry just couldn’t believe it, in part because he had dismissed the idea of having his jersey retired years ago.

Collins has long been one of the biggest proponents to make it happen, and Curry previously told him on many occasions to basically drop the subject. That’s what had Collins thinking he was in the midst of some kind of uncomfortable charade following an interview that already had him feeling as if he was in the Twilight Zone.

“So, the look I must have gave him after he said that,” Curry said. “And he said to me, ‘No, no, I’m not kidding.’ My look is probably like, ‘OK, dude, I told you, we’re not talking about this anymore.’ And if I wasn’t mic’d up, I might have cursed. But he said, ‘No, no, no, I’m not kidding. Look, look.’ And I went, ‘Oh my gosh, man.’ Had absolutely no idea. He said he knew for a month, and he says the hardest thing was not to say anything.

“He was so excited. They went all out to surprise me with it. Even (Hornets chief marketing officer) Seth Bennett told Cristaldi, ‘Mike, you’re doing too much, man. He’s going to figure it out.’”

But he didn’t. Family members, including Nicki and some of Curry’s grandkids were brought out afterward, adding to the emotional moment. It’ll surely be a similar vibe when he has sons Steph and Seth Curry, along with daughter Sydel Curry-Lee, near his side when No. 30 is raised.

“There’s no way this would have happened without so many people in my life, from my high school coach, college coach, teammates, friends,” Curry said. “This doesn’t happen without a support system around you. They tell you the truth, keep you humble, keep you hungry as well. And all that, it’s a big reason why this is happening.

“Having the kids, the boys be able to be there to watch this and witness this in between games … They’ll be on an East Coast trip (with Golden State). They probably would have missed the game if they had to. They would not miss this.”

Not the recognition of the person who retired as the team’s all-time leader in points (9,839), games (701), overall made field goals (3,951) and 3-pointers (929). He still ranks among the top 10 in games (first), total seasons (first), points (second), field goals made (second), field-goal attempts (second), made 3-pointers (second), 3-point percentage (third), steals (fourth), free-throw percentage (sixth) and made free throws (eighth).

Factor that in with being the father of a future hall of famer who’s also had his eldest son play for the same franchise while sporting the number that’s about to go into the rafters, and Curry can’t believe it all.

“Every day I wake up, I say, ‘Man, don’t screw this up,’” Curry said. “I’m living my best life without a doubt. With the success of my boys and my daughter, as a dad, you grow up wanting your kids to be better than you are. And the boys surpassed the basketball part real early. But all three of them are great parents, great husbands, a great wife. My daughter lives back in Charlotte now, so my life is great. And every day I pinch myself. I can’t believe how good life is, how happy all my kids are.

“Ten grandkids, six in Charlotte. It couldn’t have been scripted any better. At the age of 61, still doing what I love. I love broadcasting almost as much as I did playing, and then to be able to do it for the Hornets team that I played for … When they lose, I lose right with them. When they win, I win with them. So, I take games home a little more than probably most broadcasters do because I want to see this team, this organization win. So to have my name, my jersey up in the rafters and to be a part of that forever means the world.”