March 3, 2026
Luke Kornet referred to as the theme disrespectful to the ladies who’re a part of the NBA household in addition to the grownup leisure staff who face abuse and harassment.
An NBA participant has referred to as for the Atlanta Hawks to cancel the occasions of its upcoming “Magic City Monday” sport.
The Hawks brought about an uproar after announcing the uniquely-themed sport in opposition to the Orlando Magic, which pays homage to the famed “Magic City” strip membership, identified for its leisure and its “Lou Will” lemon pepper wings, named after Atlanta native and former Hawks participant, Lou Williams.
Not everyone seems to be a fan. Luke Kornet of the San Antonio Spurs has referred to as out the thought, and has inspired the Hawks to “respectfully” cease the Magic City insanity.
“The NBA ought to want to guard and esteem ladies, lots of whom work diligently day-after-day to make this the perfect basketball league on this planet. We ought to promote an environment that’s protecting and respectful of the daughters, wives, sisters, moms, and companions that we all know and love,” Kornet wrote in a Medium blog post.
Kornet, a white participant from Kentucky, believes the promotion of strip membership tradition additionally doesn’t align with the values of the skilled sports activities league.
“Allowing this evening to go ahead with out protest would replicate poorly on us as an NBA group, particularly in being complicit within the potential objectification and mistreatment of ladies in our society,” he wrote. “Regardless of how a lady finds her manner into the grownup leisure trade, many on this area expertise abuse, harassment, and violence to which they need to by no means be subjected.
He continued, “We want to supply an atmosphere the place followers of all ages can safely come and benefit from the sport of basketball and the place we are able to rejoice the historical past and tradition of communities in good conscience. The celebration of a strip membership is just not conduct aligned with that imaginative and prescient.”
He requested others to hitch in his petition the Atlanta Hawks in opposition to transferring ahead with “Magic City Night.”
The workforce has put out all of the stops for the March 16 occasion, together with specialty merchandise and a efficiency by homegrown rapper T.I. The occasion has additionally brought about a frenzy throughout town, with ticket gross sales skyrocketing after the announcement.
While Kornet inspired the Hawks to take a step again from affiliating themselves with the strip membership, metropolis residents appear to have completely different ideas on the matter. Many view Magic City as an integral a part of town’s social scene and nightlife. The concern may additionally be a cultural divide as effectively, particularly with Atlanta’s standing as a various metropolis that pioneered lure music, a sub-genre of hip-hop.
The Hawks are able to unleash its inaugural sport paying tribute to this polarizing piece of Atlanta tradition.
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