2017 NBA All-Star Game Pulled From North Carolina Over 'Bathroom Law'

The NBA has pulled its 2017 All-Star game out of Charlotte, North Carolina, because of the state's controversial law that requires transgender people to use the bathroom of the sex on their birth certificate, not the one with which they identify.

Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski, considered to be the most respected and connected reporter covering the NBA, first broke the news Thursday afternoon, saying New Orleans is the front-runner to be the replacement host.

ESPN reported that Brooklyn and Chicago could also be replacements for the Feb. 19 game and said the league "hadn't made a final decision" on the game as of Thursday morning.

The NBA confirmed the news in a Thursday evening statement:

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has been an outspoken opponent of the law. Speaking before the NBA Finals last month, Silver said he would need to see significant progress toward removing the law for North Carolina to keep the All-Star Game.

"I don't see how we would get past this summer without knowing definitively where we stand," he said.

"I think there are other fundamental issues that I think if we can work through with the community to ensure those basic protections are given to the LGBT community," he added. "I think if we can make progress there, we will see you all in Charlotte next February."

Image via Keith Allison, Flickr, used under Creative Commons