Eric Collins and Dell Curry Speak on Return, Hornets Future, Steve Martin Influence

I feel like it'd be proper to cue someone, somewhere, to put on "Without Me" by Eminem -- because guess who's back? Back again?

Eric Collins and Dell Curry are back everyone, so make sure to tell a friend.

Both Collins and Curry spoke with Hornets local media via Zoom earlier today, and both were thrilled to be back. You could hear it in the answers, and see it on their faces. Collins went so far as to talk about his Hornets future a little bit when he was asked about the things beyond 2026-2027:

"My goal has always been to be here as long as possible," Eric Collins said.

I wrote a piece not long ago about how I felt Collins would"Never leave the Hornets high and dry," to reference the title, and Collins semi-confirmed the hunch I wrote about and have carried all summer. Collins continued:

"That was just what I was raised on. You know, these (play-by-play) jobs are not guaranteed to anyone. And like, hey, if I stink -- get rid of me. Totally get it. But i've always wanted to be here in Charlotte for the duration of my career. This is home for me now. 11 seasons in and I love it. I've raised a family here. I believe in this organization. So, as long as I've got my good fastball, I'd like to stay."

I don't think anyone's arguing about whether you still have that four-seamer in your arsenal, EC, but the confirmation of his love for the city backs up what everyone hoped and what I'd believed and written about before.

Dell Curry had a lot of the same feelings about his future with the team as his best friend and partner Collins did, and even went as far to give unprompted props to owners Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall:

"I'm going to do it as long as they tell me I can and I've got a seat right there. Look, how grateful and blessed am I to play ten years in this city, with this team. Got my jersey in the rafters last year and then still being able to talk about how happy I am and how proud I am of this new organization and what the owners are doing on a nightly basis.

"It's the only job I want, the only job I'll (ever) have, and so I'm going to try and keep it as long as they allow me to."

Collins didn't have confirmation yet on whether the rest of the broadcast team --i.e., producers, etc. -- would be back alongside them yet, but sideline reporter Shannon Spake was also on the call and has been confirmed to be back for this season.

Collins and Curry both spoke incredibly highly of the producer they've had for "the last probably eight years now" and seemed to believe he'll return, while Dell added he was "The best in the business." I just don't want to dox the guy... but I could! Collins said this deal had "come together quickly," so they're not 100% aware of what the other parts of the team look like yet.

"I don't know what's going on (with the rest yet)," Collins finished. "But I'm sure it's going to be something fun, cool, cutting edge, and we will set the bar for the rest of the NBA (broadcasts) to try and chase!"

I would argue almost every other sentence from Eric is as cutting-edge as it gets, but hey: I respect the constant urge to get better and never get complacent. Complacent is one thing Collins has never been. The guy started his broadcasting career on a bit of a whim after working at a news station as a reporter.

Collins went all the way from the Minor Leagues to taking over from a broadcasting legend like Steve Martin in 2015-16. Steve Martin is ultimately the only other play-by-play voice this team has ever had, going all the way back to 1988 and the Hornets' inception. So I asked both Eric and Dell about Steve and his impact.

Collins reminded me that Martin did radio to finish out his career, but not as a dish at me. Collins reminded me of this to tell a great story about Steve Martin and highlight the type of human he was to Eric when he first joined the team.

"He was great to me in the sense that, we actually overlapped for three years. The Hornets made a brilliant decision -- in my opinion -- when i first started, Steve moved over to radio," Collins said. He continued:

"So my first three years I was doing the TV side while he was doing radio; he wanted to go back to his roots to kind of finish off his career. So I get a chance to spend three years of him telling me where to sit on the bus, who to talk to on the road, introducing me to assistant coaches. That was huge. But the other thing that was huge, was, now, remember he had no chance to ever listen to me. Because he was doing games at the exact same time I was. He was on the radio when I was doing TV. But there was countless times when people would say, 'Hey, what do you think of the new guy?' and he would without a flinch say, 'I love him. I think he's great, he sounds great on the air.' And this was basically kind of a lie, because he couldn't hear me! He had no clue!

"But he just wanted to be my benefactor and allow me to get the benefit of the doubt and grow in this community. So, I'll forever be thankful (to Steve Martin)."

When Hornets radio broadcaster Sam Farber turned on his Zoom audio to ask a question later in the presser, Collins would continue the joke about Martin and tell Farber how great a radio voice he is, even though he never gets to listen to Sam, either.

As you'd imagine, Dell Curry, of all people, was going to be complementary to Martin as well. As Dell would mention, Steve Martin broadcast Dell's games. Curry did postgame sideline interviews alongside Martin's color analyst, Gil McGregor, more times than any of us could count.

"Steve still means a lot to me. I mean, he called my games," Curry said. "He was in the seat that I'm in right beside Eric while I was playing. He watched my boys grow up and he got to call Steph's games. So he's near and dear to my heart. I remember my first game, I had notes all over the desk, and he's like 'What is that? Throw that away that's my job. You tell us what's going on down there (on the court).' And I'm like, 'What? That's it? I'm down to do that!' So, yeah. Steve showed me the ropes, he made me feel comfortable from day one, and obviously, I'll never forget how he treated me. And, you know, we still can see his name every day there in the media center. He means a lot to me and this organization."

To pivot completely: Dell and Eric have been announced to be back this coming season alongside Spake on the sidelines, and they'll have an even larger audience this year.

I wrote about its importance yesterday If you'd like more info, the Hornets just announced that this upcoming season, they're offering free viewing of the Hornets in all of the Carolinas and as far north as Roanoke, Virginia, through local channels in each region.

Hornets on SI's very own Owen O'Connor took the time to ask their opinions on it all:

"I think as many fans as possible (watching) I think is great for everyone involved. I think it's a fantastic product.," Collins said.

"I think the NBA this year, just across the board, it's going to be a great year. The Eastern Conference is loaded. I love the fact that everyone is going to be competing as hard as possible because people kind of werent in years past. But, you know, Adam Silver has kind of tightened things up, and even games in November between teams that maybe aren't considered 'contenders' is going to be fun to watch. So I'm super stoked about the season, to begin with.

"And I think any Hornets fan -- ANY fan -- that gets a small bit of what the Hornets are doing, they're going to fall in love. There's been people in Bangladesh for 30 years who are Hornets fan just because of the colors, you know? But now, when they see these colors, and they see Kon Knueppel, and Brandon Miller, and Coby White -- man, there's really something there. So, I'm super excited for the Hornets, they're going to show out this year, and I want as many people as possible to absorb it because it's a great product."

I'll also add to those reading that Collins' conviction in his voice as he said this about Bangladesh, the colors, all of it was incredibly strong. There's no second-guessing; that's what he believes. Dell even added that "It's the perfect time" to go over the air to as many places as they'll be seen this season for free.

If you're still looking for optimism post-LaMelo... you just got it. These guys are at practice. Dell mentioned it as he spoke about talking to Kemba Walker at practice THIS. MORNING. Don't you think these dudes know what they're seeing in front of them?

Ultimately, it's up to the Hornets to prove that come late October. For now, one thing's for certain:

Eric Collins and Dell Curry are back, baby. I'll end it here the same way Eric Collins did at the end of the Zoom call, as he got the last word in of anyone -- and what is more fitting than:

"Hum Diddly Dee!"

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