ESPN's Stephen A. Smith Defends Spurs' Luke Kornet's Criticism of Hawks' 'Magic City Night'

Smith acknowledges Kornet's concerns about the NBA franchise's planned celebration of a famous Atlanta strip club.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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After the Atlanta Hawks announced plans for a 'Magic City Night' promotion to celebrate a famous Atlanta strip club, San Antonio Spurs forward Luke Kornet criticized the event, saying the NBA should focus on 'protecting and esteeming women.' ESPN's Stephen A. Smith initially joked about the promotion but later defended Kornet's criticism, acknowledging the 'legitimate questions' about the optics of the Hawks' planned celebration.

Why it matters

The Hawks' planned 'Magic City Night' promotion has sparked debate about the NBA's responsibility to consider the perception and treatment of women, especially given the league's lucrative sponsorship deals and desire to maintain a family-friendly brand.

The details

The Hawks' 'Magic City Night' is scheduled for March 16 and is meant to honor the iconic Atlanta strip club, featuring the venue's famous lemon pepper wings and a performance by rapper T.I. Kornet criticized the event, saying the NBA should instead focus on 'a desire to protect and esteem women.' While Smith initially joked about the promotion, he later defended Kornet's criticism, acknowledging the 'legitimate questions' about the optics of the Hawks' plans.

  • The Hawks' 'Magic City Night' promotion is scheduled for March 16, 2026.
  • Kornet's criticism of the event was published in a blog post prior to the planned promotion.

The players

Luke Kornet

A forward for the San Antonio Spurs who criticized the Atlanta Hawks' planned 'Magic City Night' promotion.

Stephen A. Smith

An ESPN commentator who initially joked about the Hawks' promotion but later defended Kornet's criticism, acknowledging the 'legitimate questions' about the event.

Atlanta Hawks

The NBA franchise that announced plans for a 'Magic City Night' promotion to celebrate the famous Atlanta strip club.

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What they’re saying

“Yeah, I've been there. I don't know many people who haven't been there when they've been in Atlanta. Black, white, Hispanic, and everything in between. Magic City is Magic City…but the reality is that optics matter.”

— Stephen A. Smith, ESPN Commentator (SiriusXM)

“I got two daughters. I'm not raising my daughters to work in a strip club. We gotta keep it a buck here and not be phony…There's a lot of things that men throughout this world, have no problem with when it comes to themselves. But would have major problems with it if it were their daughter, their wife, their girlfriend, their sister, their nieces, they would have problems with it.”

— Stephen A. Smith, ESPN Commentator (SiriusXM)

What’s next

The Hawks have not indicated whether they will proceed with the 'Magic City Night' promotion as planned.

The takeaway

This debate highlights the ongoing challenges the NBA faces in balancing its desire to celebrate local culture and history with its responsibility to promote values of respect and equality, especially when it comes to the treatment of women. The league must carefully consider the optics and potential impact of such promotions on its brand and relationship with fans and partners.