The National Basketball Association (NBA) has stepped in to cancel one of its franchise’s planned celebrations of an iconic strip joint, a promo that sparked controversy.
In a move that has left many disappointed, the league intervened to bench the Atlanta Hawks’ March 16 tribute to Magic City, a local gentleman’s club known for its spicy wings and even spicier entertainment.
The now-canceled promo honoring the “iconic cultural institution” was announced last month and was to have taken place at the team’s March 16 home game against the Orlando Magic.
BREAKING: The NBA canceled the Hawks’ “Magic City Night” on March 16, per Adam Silver.
The league received “significant concerns” from stakeholders, including fans, partners, and employees. pic.twitter.com/PYBKqdIRCg
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) March 9, 2026
“The Hawks, who were recognized last season as the NBA’s best overall game entertainment, have tapped legendary rapper and Atlanta’s own T.I. to perform some of his well-known tracks at halftime, presented by Jack Daniels. The organization has also teamed up with ‘the coolest DJ in the world’, DJ Esco, who also serves as the landmark’s resident DJ on Mondays, to curate pregame music,” the team announced in a statement that was posted on the league’s website.
“From the food to the music and the exclusive merchandise, we are excited to team up with Magic City to create an authentic, True to Atlanta-inspired game experience,” Hawks Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Proctor said.
But the promo immediately drew a backlash from those suggesting that it was inappropriate, including one NBA player who made headlines for speaking out.
San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet blasted the team’s idea in a post to Medium in which he urged the Hawks to call it off.
“Allowing this night to go forward 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,” he said. “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.”
“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.”
On Monday, the league announced that it had intervened to bench the controversial promotion.
“When we became aware of the Atlanta Hawks’ scheduled promotion, we reached out to Hawks leadership to better understand their plans and rationale,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement posted to X.
The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/jzbUW8t73Y
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) March 9, 2026
“While we appreciate the team’s perspective and their desire to move forward, we have heard significant concerns from a broad array of league stakeholders, including fans, partners, and employees. I believe canceling this promotion is the right decision for the broader NBA community,” Silver stated.
“While we are very disappointed in the NBA’s decision to cancel our Magic City Night promotion, we fully respect its decision,” the Hawks said in a statement responding to the bad news.
— Atlanta HaWWWWWWks (@ATLHawks) March 9, 2026
“As a franchise, we remain committed to celebrating the best of Atlanta — with authenticity — in ways that continue to unite and bring us all together,” the team added.
One NBA star disagreed with Kornet.
“I think to point out that they have esteem issues because that’s the line of work they chose, I actually think is less protective of women because you’re condemning something – it’s actually an art,” Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green said on a recent edition of his podcast. “I don’t know if you’ve ever been, but if you see it in action, it’s actually a form of art – that some choose to indulge in and some choose not to indulge in.”
“But to say that because a woman decides that that’s the art that they want to partake in and that the customer wants to take in, I think, is reflective on society’s thoughts and how they once viewed things,” Green added.
It’s worth noting that the NBA isn’t likely to also cancel the LGBTQ+ “Pride Night” celebrations that have become a fixture in recent years.
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