(AP) – Luke Kornet called on the Atlanta Hawks to cancel their upcoming collaboration with Magic City, saying he and other NBA players were surprised by the team’s decision to promote the adult entertainment club.
The San Antonio Spurs center wrote Monday that allowing the March 16 event during the Hawks’ game against the Orlando Magic “would reflect poorly on us as an NBA community, specifically in being 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,” Kornet added in a blog post.
The Hawks announced the promotion last week, saying it would include a live performance by Atlanta native T.I., and have two versions of Magic City’s famed chicken wings and a special hoodie available for purchase.
But Kornet noted that the press release “failed to acknowledge that this place is, as the business itself boasts, ‘Atlanta’s premier strip club.’” Therefore, he asked the Hawks to cancel the promotion.
“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.”
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