‘My forever home’: How Davidson honored NBA, former Wildcats star Steph Curry
Steph Curry stood at center court Tuesday night and told a sold-out John M. Belk Arena the truth he’s always known.
“This is my forever home,” the Golden State Warriors superstar said after unveiling the Stephen Curry Interchange sign that now marks Exit 30 on Interstate 77.
The halftime ceremony brought Curry back to Davidson for the first time since Feb. 15, 2019. The 11-time NBA All-Star and four-time NBA champion removed a black cover alongside his father, Dell, to reveal the highway sign honoring his legacy at the North Carolina school where he became a basketball legend.
A hero’s welcome
Every corner of the arena reflected Curry’s impact. Children and adults wore his No. 30 jersey — Davidson throwbacks and Warriors gear alike. The ticket office displayed multiple “sold out” signs.
The entire crowd stood for the ceremony. Curry spoke with characteristic humility about what the honor meant.
“For me to be able to represent so many people that made this possible, I hope that that’s what they feel,” Curry said. “A diploma is one thing. An elite achievement is another thing. This (sign) is another. I might be stealing the sign to take it home.”
Warriors teammates attended, including Draymond Green. Curry periodically flashed his three-point celebration when Davidson connected from deep.
During an under-16 timeout in the second half, Curry honored former Wildcats coach Bob McKillop, a nominee for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. McKillop received another loud ovation.
The ceremony
Davidson College president Douglas Hicks connected Curry’s basketball excellence to his broader impact.
“You’ve represented our values of leadership and service,” Hicks said. “You’ve lifted up youth from Ada Jenkins Center here in Davidson to schools across Oakland.”
Hicks then referenced the exit number that defines Davidson’s location: “Everybody knows that the entrance to Davidson is Exit 30, and we hope that your heart will always lead you back to (the town of) Davidson and Davidson College.”
Curry touched the sign with both hands before it was removed from the court. “Stephen Curry” chants erupted as he returned to his seat.
Atlantic 10 opener delivers drama
Davidson (8-5) and Duquesne (9-5) entered conference play picked 11th and ninth, respectively, in the preseason A-10 poll. The Wildcats held a 13-1 all-time series advantage and had won the previous meeting 77-71.
On Tuesday, however, the Dukes prevailed with an 89-83 win in double overtime.
Davidson controlled most of regulation. The Wildcats shot over 60% from 3-point range early in the first half and led 33-30 at halftime. They maintained the advantage until 14:13 in the second half when Duquesne took its first lead at 43-42.
The game then turned into a back-and-forth battle. Duquesne tied the score five times but couldn’t pull ahead. Dukes’ forward Alex Williams hit a three-pointer with 13 seconds left in regulation to force overtime at 66-66.
Tarence Guinyard gave Duquesne its first lead since early in the second half with 4:05 left in the first overtime. He followed with a three-pointer to push the Dukes ahead 75-69. After Guinyard’s heat-check airball, Davidson tied the game at 75 from the free-throw line with 1:21 remaining.
The second overtime featured two more lead changes. Davidson went ahead 77-75 with 4:54 left. Duquesne tied it at 80 with 3:04 remaining.
Guinyard delivered the decisive blow, drilling a 3-pointer with 2:16 left. The Dukes held on from there.
Guinyard finished with 24 points to lead all scorers. Parker Friedrichsen paced Davidson with 23 points. The Wildcats finished 11-for-37 from 3-point range (29.7%) after their hot start.
This story was originally published December 30, 2025 at 10:39 PM.