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The NBA stepped in to cancel the Atlanta Hawks’ “Magic Monday” promotion next week, commissioner Adam Silver said.
The Hawks were set to host “Magic Monday” when the Orlando Magic were to come to town on March 16th. The franchise was also supposed to celebrate the city’s famous Magic City strip club, which is famous for its lemon pepper wings.
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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks to the media following the 75th NBA All Star Game at the Intuit Dome on February 15, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
But after apparent backlash over the promotion, the league decided to have it cancelled.
“When we became aware of the Atlanta Hawks’ planned promotion, we reached out to Hawks management to better understand their plans and rationale,” Silver said via ESPN. “While we appreciate the team’s perspective and their desire to move forward, we have heard significant concerns from a wide range of league stakeholders, including fans, partners and employees.
“I believe canceling this campaign is the right decision for the broader NBA community.”
Controversy sparked last week when San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet wrote a lengthy blog post urging the Hawks to reconsider the event.
Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga (0) celebrates his basket against the Portland Trail Blazers during the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
SPORTSCASTER SCRIPTS NBA PLAYER OVER BLOG POST OPPOSING TEAM’S STRIP CLUB PROMOTION
He suggested NBA players and officials “foster an atmosphere that is protective and respectful of the daughters, wives, sisters, mothers and partners that we know and love.”
Kornet wrote that allowing the night to continue “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 community.”
He added that “others around the league” were surprised by the Hawks’ decision to hold this promotional night.
Luke Kornet of the San Antonio Spurs reaches for the ball in the third quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on February 26, 2026 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
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“We want to create an environment where fans of all ages can safely come and enjoy the game of basketball and where we can celebrate the community’s history and culture with a clear conscience. The celebration of a strip club is not behavior consistent with that vision,” he wrote.
