CHARLOTTE — When the Hornets raise Dell Curry’s No. 30 jersey to the rafters Thursday, he’ll join the No. 13 jersey, last worn by Bobby Phills. It is currently the only number the franchise has retired.
Bobby Phills sudden death in January 2000 stunned the franchise and the city, but his wife, Kendall Phills, refused to shrink in the face of tragedy. She, instead, worked to continue the legacy of the Bobby Phills name.
“Personally, I’m glad he’s getting some company, and they couldn’t have chosen a better jersey to join Bobby’s in the rafters,” Kendall Phills said. “Bobby respected Dell Curry so much.”
The No. 13 jersey of the late Bobby Phills has hung alone in the Spectrum Center rafters for over 26 years.
“The city of Charlotte loved Bobby, and we love the city of Charlotte, so to continue those works through The Phills Foundation, his work lives on through my work that I’m doing. His legacy lives through his children, as well.”
However, a lot has happened in the many years since Bobby Phills’ death.
His son, Trey Phills III, will turn 30 this year. He is the same age his father was when he died in a car crash on the way home from a Hornets practice in January of 2000.
“There’s something beautiful about remembering where we come from and these stories won’t tell themselves, so if there’s any burden, it’s on me to bring it back to life and take on new shapes,” Trey Phills said.
Trey Phills recently retired from professional basketball and now makes sports content as an influencer, carving out a unique path of his own, always aware the weight his last name carries in Charlotte.
“I just think it’s really cool to build your own lane and remind people in subtle ways that we are a product of what we come for, and this is a way to pay homage, and it doesn’t have to look the same way,” he said.
An emotional tribute online to his father and their shared legacy garnered millions of views across Trey Phills social media channels, which had fans filling the comment section with fond memories of his father.
“The comments are about moments and not wins and losses,” Trey Phills said. “So, I think it’s allowed me to broaden what it means to be a basketball figure and a part of the legacy that’s greater than mine, and I get a chance to build on top of that.”
“When we look at that jersey, obviously, it’s a reminder that was their dad, my late husband,” Kendall Phills said. “But it’s also a reminder of the man he was. He was an incredible man. A fierce competitor, and he has a strong impact on his community.”
On Thursday night and every night that follows, when fans look up to Dell Curry’s No. 30, they’ll see No. 13 hanging alongside it and perhaps learn about Bobby Phills, and the impact he had on Charlotte.
Kendall Phills leads The Phills Foundation, which is a nonprofit that supports the unhoused and families in crisis.
VIDEO: Hornets legend Dell Curry and son Seth continue basketball legacy together
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