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An NBA player is outraged over an Atlanta Hawks promotional party that is a nod to a famous strip club in the city.
The Hawks are hosting “Magic City Night” on March 16 against the Orlando Magic, but no player on either team is too keen on paying homage to a strip club, famous for its late-night storylines involving athletes, celebrities and more.
While the Hawks call it an ode to a “cultural institution,” San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet expressed his displeasure in a letter posted on Medium.
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Luke Kornet of the San Antonio Spurs looks for the ball during the third quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on February 26, 2026 in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
Kornet, a nine-year veteran and 2024 NBA champion with the Boston Celtics, called for the Hawks’ promotional party to be canceled later this month, saying it is disrespectful to women to grace the strip club.
“In their press release, the Hawks failed to acknowledge that this location is, as the company itself claims, ‘Atlanta’s premier strip club.’ Given this fact, I would like to respectfully ask the Atlanta Hawks to cancel this promotional party with Magic City,” Kornet wrote in his post.
“The NBA should desire to protect and value women, many of whom work diligently every day to make it the best basketball league in the world. We must promote an atmosphere that is protective and respectful of the daughters, wives, sisters, mothers and partners we know and love.”
The Hawks boasted about the theme night in their press release, including a live performance by popular Atlanta rapper TI, a limited-edition co-branded hoodie and even the establishment’s “world famous” lemon-pepper chicken wings in the arena.
A general view of signage with the State Farm Arena logo on November 14, 2025, outside State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. (Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire)
“This collaboration and theme party is very meaningful to me after all the work we put into putting together ‘Magic City: An American Fantasy,’” Hawks principal owner, filmmaker and actor Jami Gertz said in a press release. “Atlanta’s iconic institution has had an incredible impact on our city and its unique culture.”
Kornet wrote that allowing the night to continue “without protest would reflect poorly on us as an NBA community, “especially in being complicit in the potential objectification and mistreatment of women in our society.”
Kornet wrote that “others throughout the league” were surprised by the Hawks’ decision to hold the promotional night.
“We want to provide an environment where fans of all ages can safely come and enjoy basketball and where we can celebrate the history and culture of communities with a clear conscience. Celebrating a strip club is not conduct consistent with this vision,” he wrote.
Luke Kornet of the San Antonio Spurs defends against the Charlotte Hornets during their game at Spectrum Center on January 31, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
The Hawks received a good reception for the promotional night, as Tick Pick reported that the price of entry was initially $10 for the game and has since jumped to $94.
Kornet is in his first season with the Spurs, his sixth NBA team, where he has played primarily on the bench. He averages 7.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game over 50 contests.
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