Steph Curry Hints at Joining Hornets Before Retirement

The Warriors star teases playing for his hometown team to end his legendary career.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 5:37pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry hinted at the possibility of playing for the Charlotte Hornets before retiring from the NBA. Curry, who grew up in Charlotte and played college basketball at Davidson, said he would consider suiting up for the Hornets, where his father Dell Curry had his jersey retired.

Why it matters

Curry's potential move to the Hornets would be a homecoming for the future Hall of Famer, allowing him to finish his career in the city where he first rose to stardom. It would also generate significant excitement and interest for the Hornets franchise, which has struggled to attract top talent in recent years.

The details

Curry, who has spent his entire 16-year NBA career with the Warriors, winning four championships, recently responded to questions about the possibility of joining the Hornets. He said he would "always keep your options open" and that his father's retired jersey number could be a "special exception" for him to play in Charlotte. Curry previously teased the idea of playing for the Hornets in 2022 when the team presented him with a key to the city.

  • Curry's father Dell Curry recently had his jersey retired by the Hornets.
  • In 2022, the Hornets presented Steph Curry with a key to the city, prompting him to discuss the possibility of playing for the team.
  • Curry has been sidelined since early February due to a right knee injury, but the Warriors are hopeful he will return before the end of the month.

The players

Stephen Curry

A 38-year-old NBA superstar who has spent his entire 16-year career with the Golden State Warriors, winning four championships and two MVP awards.

Dell Curry

Steph Curry's father, who played for the Charlotte Hornets and recently had his jersey retired by the franchise.

Charlotte Hornets

An NBA team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Steph Curry grew up and played college basketball at Davidson.

Golden State Warriors

The NBA team that Steph Curry has played for his entire professional career, winning four championships.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Always keep your options open. Like you said, I know what that means when you get your jersey retired, it's immortalized, nobody should be able to touch it, but I'm sure he would be able to make a special exception if that were the case.”

— Stephen Curry

“Everybody asks me, 'You wanna play one year for the Hornets and come back?' … I am not breaking any news right now, I'm not making any promises. All I would say is if there was a team that I did want to play for that was not named the Warriors, that would be it.”

— Stephen Curry

What’s next

The Warriors are hopeful that Curry will return from his knee injury before the end of the month and help the team make a push for the playoffs.

The takeaway

Curry's potential move to the Hornets would be a homecoming for the future Hall of Famer, allowing him to finish his legendary career in the city where he first rose to stardom. It would also generate significant excitement and interest for the Hornets franchise, which has struggled to attract top talent in recent years.