Luke Kornet criticizes Hawks’ ‘Magic Metropolis Evening’ promotional occasion

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An NBA participant has taken exception to an Atlanta Hawks promotional evening, which is a nod to a famed strip membership within the metropolis.

The Hawks have "Magic Metropolis Evening" scheduled for March 16 in opposition to the Orlando Magic, however a participant for neither crew isn’t too keen on paying tribute to a strip membership, which has been famed for its late-night tales involving athletes, celebrities and extra.

Whereas the Hawks name it an ode to a "cultural establishment," San Antonio Spurs middle Luke Kornet shared his displeasure in a letter posted on Medium.

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Luke Kornet of the San Antonio Spurs reaches for the ball throughout the third quarter in opposition to the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Heart on Feb. 26, 2026 within the Brooklyn borough of New York Metropolis. (Ishika Samant/Getty Photos)

Kornet, a nine-year veteran and 2024 NBA champion with the Boston Celtics , referred to as for the Hawks’ promotional evening to be canceled later this month, saying that it's disrespectful to girls to honor the strip membership.

"In its press launch, the Hawks did not acknowledge that this place is, because the enterprise itself boasts, "Atlanta’s premier strip membership." Given this truth, I want to respectfully ask that the Atlanta Hawks cancel this promotional evening with Magic Metropolis," Kornet wrote in his post .

"The NBA ought to need to guard and esteem girls, lots of whom work diligently on daily basis to make this the perfect basketball league on the earth. We should always promote an environment that's protecting and respectful of the daughters, wives, sisters, moms, and companions that we all know and love."

The Hawks boasted in regards to the theme evening in its press launch, together with a reside efficiency by well-known Atlanta rapper T.I., a co-branded, limited-edition hoodie and even the institution’s "World Well-known" lemon-pepper rooster wings within the area.

A common view of signage with the State Farm Area emblem on Nov. 14, 2025, exterior State Farm Area, in Atlanta, GA. (Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire)

"This collaboration and theme evening may be very significant to me after all of the work that we did to place collectively ’Magic Metropolis: An American Fantasy’," mentioned Hawks principal proprietor, filmmaker and actor, Jami Gertz, mentioned in a press launch. "The long-lasting Atlanta establishment has made such an unimaginable influence on our metropolis and its distinctive tradition."

Kornet wrote that permitting the evening to proceed "with out protest would mirror poorly on us as an NBA neighborhood, "particularly in being complicit within the potential objectification and mistreatment of girls in our society."

Kornet wrote that "others all through the league" had been shocked by the Hawks’ determination to have this promotional evening.

"We need to supply an atmosphere the place followers of all ages can safely come and benefit from the recreation of basketball and the place we are able to have fun the historical past and tradition of communities in good conscience. The celebration of a strip membership shouldn't be conduct aligned with that imaginative and prescient," he wrote.

Luke Kornet of the San Antonio Spurs defends in opposition to the Charlotte Hornets throughout their recreation at Spectrum Heart on Jan. 31, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jacob Kupferman/Getty Photos)

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The Hawks have seen good reception for the promotional evening, as Tick Choose reported a get-in value was initially $10 for the sport and has since skyrocketed to $94.

Kornet is in his first season with the Spurs, his sixth NBA crew, the place he has performed primarily in a bench function. He averages 7.1 factors and 6.5 rebounds per recreation throughout 50 contests.