Charlotte Hornets to retire Dell Curry's number - who could join him in the rafters?

On Wednesday afternoon, the Charlotte Hornets announced that they are going to retire Dell Curry's number 30 in a pregame celebration on March 19th.

If you haven't seen it yet, the near 20 minute video the team posted that showed Curry hearing the news for the first time is a must-watch (tissues not included). It is a much-deserved recognition for the man affectionately known as 'Mr. Hornet.'

His resume speaks for itself. Curry is the all-time leader in games played for the Hornets, second in points scored, field goals made, and three-pointers made, and he ranks in the top ten in three-point percentage, steals, free throw percentage, and free throws made.

Add in the facts that Dell mans the Hornets' broadcast booth with Eric Collins and his consistent presence around the Spectrum Center, and it becomes clear that he is deserving of this honor.

Curry will become the second player in Charlotte Hornets history to have their number retired (Bobby Phills being the first) and the question begs: who could be next?

Kemba Walker

Walker is a stone cold lock to have his jersey retired in Charlotte.

Not only is he alongside Dell at the top of every meaningful Hornets all-time ranking, Walker is currently an assistant coach on Charles Lee's staff. Kemba has made it clear that he has a real reverence for the city of Charlotte and the Hornets organization, and it would be a travesty if the number 15 doesn't find its way into the rafters sooner rather than later.

Gerald Wallace

Wallace's case has nothing to do with counting stats.

Yes, he is third in points scored in the history of the franchise. Sure, he's third in rebounds all-time. Of course, Wallace ranks in the top five of both steals and blocks. All of that is great.

The case for Gerald Wallace to have his jersey immortalized at the Spectrum Center revolves around how he defined an era of basketball in Charlotte.

Nobody lived up to a nickname more than Gerald Wallace lived up to the moniker 'Crash.' He was hell-in-high-tops, and played every single possession like it was game seven of the NBA Finals. Wallace was a relentless rebounder, fearless shot blocker, and an instant injection of chaos the second he checked into a ball game.

While the Bobcats were a laughingstock, Wallace was a beacon of hope. The only Bobcat ever to be named to an All Star game, Gerald Wallace gave everything he had for a franchise that only made the playoffs one time in his career.

If Dell Curry is 'Mr. Hornet,' Wallace has to be known as 'Mr. Bobcat,' and the number three should hang alongside the number 30.

Honorable mentions

Wallace and Walker (which sounds like a local law office) are the only two Charlotteans that feel like shoo-ins.

Alonzo Mourning and Larry Johnson have cases, but their time in Charlotte, although bright, was brief.

Muggsy Bogues is another one, and while he's closer to being considered than his counterparts Mourning and Johnson, it feels like it would have happened already, right? He is still close to the organization and can be seen stalking the underbelly of the Spectrum Center on occasion, and if he gets honored one day, I would be far from shocked.

Outside of those three, you really begin grasping for straws.

Raymond Felton, Marvin Williams, and Emeka Okafor played a ton of games in Charlotte, but they didn't impact the team on or off the floor the way these other players did. Al Jefferson is the most recent non-Kemba Hornet to make an All-NBA team, but he didn't spend enough time in Charlotte to merit inclusion.

Down the line, we may look at LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, or Kon Knueppel as viable candidates, but their careers need to play out fully before crowning them as next up.

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