Luke Kornet Not Onboard With Hawks’ Promo Stripper Night
Call Luke Kornet “corny” all you want but this league is full of hypocrisy when it comes to commenting on society.
Adam Silver’s NBA continues to make former commissioner David Stern spin in his grave.
The Atlanta Hawks made a surprising splash by officially leaning into “Magic City Night,” a special promo event scheduled for March 16 against the Orlando Magic. Hawks PR framed it as a celebration of an Atlanta “cultural institution.” That institution, of course, is a strip club.
They have the lemon pepper wings. They have a T.I. halftime performance. They even have co-branded gear.
READ: Hawks Celebrate Atlanta Strip Club As ‘Cultural Institution’ With Official Theme Night
San Antonio Spurs big man Luke Kornet is one of the few willing to say what this actually is. It is a strip club promotion, and he thinks it is a big miss.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 03: Luke Kornet #7 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts after blocking a shot at the end of the fourth quarter against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center on December 03, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)
Kornet released a statement calling for the Hawks to cancel the event.
“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,” Kornet wrote. “We should promote an atmosphere that is protective and respectful of the daughters, wives, sisters, mothers, and partners that we know and love.”
Kornet added that the league is becoming “complicit in the potential objectification and mistreatment of women in our society.”
“… Regardless of how a woman finds her way into the adult entertainment industry, many in this space experience abuse, harassment, and violence to which they should never be subjected,” he wrote. “The celebration of a strip club is not conduct aligned with that vision.”
He is likely to be labeled “corny” in some NBA circles, but his broader point is hard to ignore. The league regularly positions itself as a moral authority on major social issues. At the same time, one of its franchises is selling merchandise tied to a strip club brand.
Just imagine being a parent in Atlanta hoping to take your child to a game, only to realize March 16 has turned into something very different from a typical night of basketball.
Kornet may stand alone on this one, but at least he is willing to take a clear position.
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