{"id":49537,"date":"2026-03-04T10:17:27","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T15:17:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=49537"},"modified":"2026-03-04T10:17:27","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T15:17:27","slug":"nba-veteran-urges-hawks-to-cancel-magic-city-night-says-league-must-protect-and-esteem-women","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2026\/03\/nba-veteran-urges-hawks-to-cancel-magic-city-night-says-league-must-protect-and-esteem-women.html","title":{"rendered":"NBA Veteran Urges Hawks to Cancel ‘Magic City Night,’ Says League Must ‘Protect and Esteem Women’"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
FireBirdFilm \/ commons.wikimedia.org | Inset:@ ComplexMusic \/ X<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

An NBA veteran is speaking out after the Atlanta Hawks announced plans for a promotional event tied to one of the city’s most infamous nightlife spots \u2014 and he’s calling on the team to reconsider.<\/p>\n

The Hawks have scheduled “Magic City Night” for March 16 during their game against the Orlando Magic, describing it as a celebration of what they call a “cultural institution.” But San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet believes honoring the famed Atlanta strip club sends the wrong message \u2014 especially in a league that includes families, young fans and countless women who contribute to the sport’s success.<\/p>\n

Kornet, a nine-year NBA veteran and 2024 NBA champion with the Boston Celtics, shared his concerns in a letter posted on Medium. Though he does not play for either the Hawks or the Orlando Magic, he felt compelled to speak out.<\/p>\n

“In its press release, the Hawks failed to acknowledge that this place is, as the business itself boasts, ‘Atlanta’s premier strip club,'” Kornet wrote<\/a>. “Given this fact, I would like to respectfully ask that the Atlanta Hawks cancel this promotional night with Magic City.”<\/p>\n

The promotional night includes a live performance by Atlanta rapper T.I., co-branded limited-edition merchandise and even the club’s famous lemon-pepper chicken wings served inside the arena. Hawks principal owner Jami Gertz described the collaboration as meaningful, saying in a press release, “The iconic Atlanta institution has made such an incredible impact on our city and its unique culture.”<\/p>\n

But Kornet believes the celebration crosses a moral line.<\/p>\n

“The NBA should desire to protect and esteem women, many of whom work diligently every day to make this the best basketball league in the world,” he wrote. “We should promote an atmosphere that is protective and respectful of the daughters, wives, sisters, mothers, and partners that we know and love.”<\/p>\n

For Kornet, the issue goes beyond one night. He warned that allowing the event to proceed “without protest would reflect poorly on us as an NBA community, specifically in being complicit in the potential objectification and mistreatment of women in our society.”<\/p>\n

He added that “others throughout the league” were also surprised by the Hawks’ decision.<\/p>\n

“We desire to provide an environment where fans of all ages can safely come and enjoy the game of basketball and where we can celebrate the history and culture of communities in good conscience,” Kornet wrote. “The celebration of a strip club is not conduct aligned with that vision.”<\/p>\n

Despite the controversy, fan interest appears strong. According to Tick Pick, the get-in ticket price for the game reportedly jumped from $10 to $94 after the promotion was announced.<\/p>\n

Kornet, now in his first season with the Spurs, is averaging 7.1 points and 6.5 rebounds off the bench across 50 games. While he may not be a headline superstar every night, his public stand is drawing attention \u2014 and sparking debate.<\/p>\n

For Christian fans, the situation raises broader questions about the culture we celebrate and the messages we send. Professional sports have an enormous influence, especially on young viewers. Kornet’s appeal centers on a simple but powerful principle: honoring women as image-bearers of God, worthy of dignity and respect.<\/p>\n

As the league moves forward, many will be watching to see whether his call for reconsideration gains traction \u2014 or whether “Magic City Night” proceeds as planned.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An NBA veteran is speaking out after the Atlanta Hawks announced plans for a promotional event tied to one of the city’s most infamous nightlife spots \u2014 and he’s calling on the team to reconsider. The Hawks have scheduled “Magic City Night” for March 16 during their game against the Orlando Magic, describing it as…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":516,"featured_media":49540,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-49537","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-television"],"yoast_head":"\nNBA Veteran Urges Hawks to Cancel 'Magic City Night,' Says League Must 'Protect and Esteem Women'<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"NBA veteran Luke Kornet urges the Hawks to cancel "Magic City Night," saying the league must protect and respect women.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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