The NBA announced yesterday [Thursday, July 21] it was withdrawing the 2017 All-Star game from North Carolina because of the discriminatory laws passed in the state earlier this year. The NBA announced soon after the laws that discriminate against those in the LGBTQ community that it would be talking with the state of North Carolina about changing the laws, and obviously those talks didn’t go anywhere.


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NBA All-Star games generate a lot of revenue for the hosting team, which would have been Michael Jordan’s Charlotte Bobcats, as well as the state, but now another state will be reaping those benefits. The league pulled this game now, in July, because the All-Star game takes so long to plan and coordinate, so while this decision may seem early, logistically the NBA couldn’t wait any longer.

The league did say however, that the All-Star game might return to North Carolina in 2019, the implication being that the law would be repealed by then. This announcement is another example of how the NBA is making social issues one of its priorities, and not shying away from having a political message.

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NBA stars begin reacting to the news yesterday, and ESPN‘s Arash Markazi spoke to Chris Paul, who is from North Carolina, about the decision.

Now the NBA must choose a new host city, in not a lot of time. New Orleans, New York/Brooklyn and Chicago are said to be on the short list of cities to host the 2017 All-Star game. Los Angeles is hosting the 2018 All-Star game.