As the San Antonio Spurs (43-17) prepare to conclude their five-game Eastern Conference road trip with a matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers (33-27) on Tuesday at 8:00 PM ET on NBC and Peacock, center Luke Cornette reiterated his criticism of the Atlanta Hawks' association with the Magic City.
Cornette addressed the controversy while speaking with Jason Dumas of Action News on 6abc following Tuesday's shooting. His comments come a day after he publicly objected to the Hawks' planned "Magic City Night" promotion tied to their March 16 home game against the Orlando Magic.
“I actually saw the statement just last week, the Hawks' announcement and as far as the point that you have the public voice, I feel like it doesn't really represent what I know about myself and a lot of others in the NBA. [players] thought. So, I just want to make sure that that part of the discussion is expressed and that it includes criticizing people and things like that – that's part of the process that white people may be hesitant to do but I think really trying to start a conversation and be able to do that.
He continued:
“It's important to help make sure everyone in the league is ready to be represented and has an environment like you want.”
Cornette's renewed comments follow backlash after he first expressed concerns about the Hawks' partnership. On Monday, he elaborated in a post on Medium, where he directly called on the organization to cancel the event.
Luke Cornette caused some stir nationally when he urged the Atlanta Hawks to cancel "Magic City Night", saying it was disrespectful to women.
I asked him about it after the shooting in Philly. Says he has not spoken to the league since his statement. pic.twitter.com/eTwFuZGAGQ
-Jason Dumas (@JDumasReports) 3 March 2026
"This week, the Atlanta Hawks announced a special one-night collaboration celebrating the city's iconic cultural institution Magic City during the team's home game against the Orlando Magic on Monday, March 16," Cornett wrote. "In their press release, Hawks failed to acknowledge that this location is, as the business itself claims, 'Atlanta's premiere strip club.' Given this fact, I would respectfully ask that the Atlanta Hawks cancel this promotional night with the Magic City.
Luke Kornet says NBA, Hawks haven't contacted him amid Magic City controversy
Asked whether the league moved forward after his initial statement, Cornette said:
"Not really after that. I talked to a few people in the league first, just to see what the status of it was, to make sure it was up to date on the situation."
He said the Hawks have not contacted him.
"No, I didn't."
The Hawks' collaboration has attracted widespread attention, including public support from former guard Lou Williams. While Atlanta has not indicated any changes to its plans, Cornette's comments add another layer to the broader conversation surrounding the event.
San Antonio will now turn their attention back to the court as they prepare to face Philadelphia on Tuesday night, and look to bounce back from a 114-89 loss to the New York Knicks on Sunday.
