Former Celtics center Luke Kornet has called out his current team regarding an upcoming collaboration they have planned.
Specifically, Kornet has called out the Atlanta Hawks to cancel their collaboration with Magic City, the famous Atlanta strip club, that is set to happen during the team’s March 16 game against the Orlando Magic. The promotion was announced recently, with a live performance by Atlanta native T.I set along as well as a special hoodie being available for purchase.
In a blog post, Kornet said that allowing this to happen “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 continued.
“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,” he added. “The celebration of a strip club is not conduct aligned with that vision”
According to Front Office Sports, a team spokesperson said that the Hawks “have no plans to change their ‘Magic City Monday’ promotion.”
Luke Kornet’s Former Celtics Teammate Shows Support
GettyAl Horford
Al Horford, who played alongside Kornet for four seasons from 2021-2025, showed support for the center in a post on social media.
“Well said Luke,” Horford simply said, sharing the letter written by Kornet on X formerly known as Twitter.
Some fans also shared their support in the comments underneath Horford’s post.
“You can love the city and its culture without bringing every part of it into a family arena. Luke Kornet really articulated what a lot of people were thinking. Appreciate Al for using his platform to back him up,” one person shared.
“Thank you for chiming in, Al Horford. Important for men of your reputation and stature — both inside the league and outside — to let their voices be heard,” another person wrote.
“love that you are supporting him and agree with position. Now address the constant support of gambling by NBA. this ruins more families than strip clubs and makes NBA not friendly to watch with kids,” someone posted.
However, there was also a lot of criticism the two former teammates received in the comments section due to their beliefs.
Luke Kornet Addressed His Decision To Speak Out
GettyLuke Kornet
When speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Kornet was asked why he decided to write the blog post.
“The hope was to be able to voice a perspective I think a lot of people share across the league,” Kornet said, per the San Antonio-Express News. “I’m not on social media and stuff. I know there was criticism the other way. I think it’s good to be able to open up the conversation and kind of sort that out in a public forum and just make sure we’re capable of having a discussion.”
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