DAVIDSON N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Davidson town leaders Tuesday night passed their support for the naming of the local Interstate 77 interchange for Stephen Curry, with the vote being potentially significant for the relationship between the town and college after discussion about the NBA star’s connection to the community itself.
Commissioners voted 4-1 in favor of putting signs for the Stephen Curry Interchange at Exit 30, which also is the Davidson College grad’s number. The proposal moves to the N.C. Board of Transportation, who requested unanimous town approval.
“I would like that acknowledgement, maybe this is the moment in time when a resolution of old wounds can be healed,” Mayor Rusty Knox said.
Before becoming a four-time NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors, Curry put Davidson College into the spotlight in 2008 when he led the Wildcats to the Elite 8. During his tenure, he also became Davidson men’s basketball’s all-time leading scorer.
On Tuesday, Commissioner Tracy Mattison Brandon said that she didn’t feel Curry made enough of an impact on the actual town.
“When it comes to naming things, in the west Davidson community,” she said of the historically African American part of town. “It’s important that we recognize the heritage of people that made contribution the town, and not just the college. That’s one of the concerns I have. There’s a disconnect between Davidson College and the town. There are some efforts being made to bring the two together.”
She mentioned that the exit signs for Griffith Street don’t mention the college, and that should be addressed instead. There is a sign with “Davidson College” about a half-mile back along I-77.
Curry played for the Wildcats from 2006 to 2009 then graduated from Davidson until May 2022. In the summer of 2022, he was honored not only for fulfilling that achievement but had his number retired in Belk Arena and was inducted into the school’s athletics hall of fame.
Knox is a Davidson native, and said that all the talks of a town-college disconnect aren’t always accurate.
“As a lifelong townie, the perceived and inaccuracies and stories and urban legends that have gone on about the disconnect between college and town are cyclical,” Knox said. “There has been disconnect, and maybe not completely true narrative between African American community and Davidson College. That in itself is part of the pause that Tracy has with this. I understand that as a lifer here.”
In January, Curry made a big investment in the town through his and wife Ayesha’s Eat.Learn.Play. Foundation. The donation provided funds to renovate the gym at the Ada Jenkins Center, which provides educational and health services for north Mecklenburg residents in need.
Knox said the vote shows an effort to make amends.
“That opportunity for that bridge being built is never better than now,” he said. “When I look at what he and (wife) Ayesha have done philanthropically. What he did for Ada Jenkins Center, those things, that was a big check he wrote. It meant something to Ada Jenkins, means something to the community too.”
There would be signs placed in both north and southbound directions at the exit.
At an earlier meeting, former Davidson College president said the Board of Transportation suggested naming the interchange instead of the bridge. I-77 through northern Mecklenburg County is named after former Duke Energy CEO Bill Lee.
Ada Jenkins Center, Davidson College and N.C. Sen. Natasha Marcus have expressed their support for the naming.