Charles Barkley: NBA should move All-Star game out of Charlotte

Hall-of-Famer Charles Barkley says the NBA should move the 2017 All-Star Game out of Charlotte.

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Count Charles Barkley among those who believe the NBA shouldn’t host the All-Star Game in Charlotte.

“I hope they don’t put me in a situation where I have to boycott the All-Star Game, we need to move the All-Star Game,” Barkley said on The Dan Patrick Show.

Charlotte, which is scheduled to host the game in 2017, has become a lightning rod for controversy after North Carolina passed the so–called “bathroom bill” earlier this year, which aims to regulate bathroom access based on gender assigned at birth. The law has been described by critics as anti-LGBT and particularly discriminatory toward transgender individuals.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said the NBA will decide during the summer if the game will be moved.

Both Silver and Hornets owner Michael Jordan have expressed concerns over the law, but have not committed to moving the game. Barkley said he spoke with Silver about why the game should be moved.

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The NBA’s All-Star Game is scheduled for Feb. 19, 2017.