When NBA superstar and Charlotte native Stephen Curry received a key to the City of Charlotte Thursday, he made a statement that gave Hornets fans some hope.
“I always said I wanted to finish my career at Golden State because of how much it means to me, the experiences and the teammates and the journey that we’ve been on,” Curry said during his acceptance speech. “People always say, ‘Do you wanna play one year for the Hornets and come back?’”
The crowd at Charlotte’s government center erupted in applause and Mayor Vi Lyles laughed and clapped beside Curry.
“No, no, I’m not breaking any news. I’m not making any promises,” Curry said. “All I would say is if there was a team I did wanna play for that wasn’t the Warriors, that would be it.”
Curry was in town to visit his alma mater, Davidson College, where they retired his jersey from his college basketball days and awarded him his degree on Wednesday.
“Not a bad day yesterday, right?” Lyles said about Curry’s day at Davidson before presenting him with the key. “We also wanted to take this opportunity to honor him while he was in his hometown.”
Along with Lyles, Curry’s high school coach Shonn Davis spoke as well as Thomas Davis Sr., a former key to the city recipient and longtime linebacker for the Carolina Panthers.
“So many people told (Curry) that he wouldn’t get it done, that he shouldn’t get it done. So many colleges turned his back on him,” Thomas Davis said. “And all he did through all that was continue to excel, continue to exceed any expectations that were in front of him. He set an example for so many kids, not just in the Charlotte area, but around the world.”
After the key presentation ceremony, the four-time NBA championship winner Curry signed a few autographs for children in attendance.
“I am from Charlotte,” Curry said. “Best 21 years of my life spent here and I carry that with me wherever I go, so to have the key to the city … it means so much to me and my family.”
Previous Key to the City recipients include musician Common in 2020, musician Anthony Hamilton in 2019, Thomas Davis in 2015, and NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson in 2014.
This story was originally published September 2, 2022 1:04 PM.
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