The NBA made news on Thursday by announcing that it would pull the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte. The decision came after months of threats due to North Carolina’s anti-LGBT HB2 bill. With no significant changes made to the discriminatory legislation, the NBA finally decided to pull the plug.
The move to pull the 2017 All-Star Game has thus far been met with mostly positive reactions from the NBA community. Several players and team owners have come out to support the league’s decision:
I recognize this was a tough decision for the NBA but I respect the choice. Discrimination of any kind cannot be allowed
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) July 22, 2016
Wilson Chandler via the Denver Post:
“I think it was the right decision,” Wilson told the Denver Post. “People should be able to live their lives without judgment, without fear. No matter race, sexual orientation, (or whatever the case may be). Sucks that some people discriminate against these things, (even) now in 2016. That’s supposed to be the beauty of American Diversity.”
.@NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made a good decision to move the 2017 NBA All-Star Game.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) July 22, 2016
The @NBA has always been about equality and inclusion for everyone. I salute and congratulate our great Commissioner on his decision!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) July 22, 2016
#Twolves majority owner Glen Taylor issued a statement on the relocation of 2017 NBA All-Star game. pic.twitter.com/FPDxvS7TTp
— rob (@R0BaTO) July 21, 2016
#Kings owner Vivek Ranadive applaudes the NBA for removing the 2017 NBA All-Star game from Charlotte. pic.twitter.com/Ivu4oOyjaI
— rob (@R0BaTO) July 21, 2016
Statement from @jasoncollins98 on NBA's decision to relocate the All Star Game from Charlotte. pic.twitter.com/VRamKlayyq
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) July 22, 2016
Chris Paul expressed disappointment that the All-Star Game won’t be played in his home state but admitted that this is a more important cause:
Chris Paul on the @NBA's decision to relocate the 2017 All-Star Game. pic.twitter.com/8PsXyiiJuE
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) July 22, 2016
Others, including Paul George, expressed mostly disappointment that the NBA would take the game away from Charlotte:
Paul George to @WindhorstESPN pic.twitter.com/2yd1fUdVgB
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) July 21, 2016
Stephen Curry, another NC native, mostly dodged the question in talking about the subject. He expressed his disappointment as well, without discussing the LGBT background of the decision. This is somewhat telling considering Curry’s church in North Carolina is notoriously anti-gay. That obviously should not be an indictment on Curry on its own, but it is worth noting in this case. Quote via Chris Murray of the Reno Gazette Journal:
Without talking more about the law — I’ve kind of spoken about that before. But just from a guy that’s grown up in Charlotte and that is basically my hometown, it’s disappointing for the city not to be able to celebrate the game of basketball as they had planned. I obviously understand Adam Silver’s decision. I have to kind of think about it some more. It’s really fresh. I was kind of still planning on going to Charlotte.
Charlotte Hornets’ chairman Michael Jordan had a similar statement to Chris Paul while hoping the issue will be resolved in time for next year:
#Hornets & Chairman Michael Jordan releases a statement on NBA removing 2017 NBA All-star game from Charlotte. pic.twitter.com/ML9OiZrA0i
— rob (@R0BaTO) July 21, 2016
Hornets’ co-owner Felix Sabates had a completely different method, via ESPN:
“Shame on those responsible for such a short sighted decision to take the NBA All Star away from Charlotte I always thought this was country that ALL peoples not just a few can determine our future,” he wrote in the email that was obtained by the Charlotte Observer.
“Our Mayor opened a can of worms, who knows why?” Sabates wrote. “One Our city council is the one to blame for our losing the NBA All Star game, none of this would have happened if not for a very few minority forcing our supposed city leaders into creating a problem that never really existed, there will always be another election, they better pray a very few can get them re-elected.
“What is wrong with a person using a bathroom provided for the sex the (sic) were born with, if you want to change your gender so be it, we are a free county, but don’t force 8 years old children to be exposed to having to share bathroom facilities with people that don’t share the organs they were Bourne (sic) with, this is plain wrong, this could cause irreparable damages to a children’s that don’t understand why they have to see what God did not mean for them to witness, we have some very confused business as well as political humans that frankly have made this a political issue rather then (sic) moral issues, SHAME ON THEM.”
Obviously, this is a decisive issue, although it certainly should not be. The NBA made the correct decision in removing the 2017 All-Star Game. Unfortunately, there has not been a ton of support yet from NBA players. On the other hand, team owners have shown some support for the decision, despite not voting to make it possible.
