It’s often said that everything on the internet is permanent. This idea was a popular mantra around the year 2000, but it seems that Braiden Bell, the newly appointed announcer for the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, may have missed that memo.
On Thursday, the Trail Blazers introduced Bell as their latest broadcaster, highlighting his “authenticity” and suitability for the role, as reported by local news source KGW8.
Unfortunately for Bell, his time with the team was cut short—within just a few hours—due to the resurfacing of some questionable posts from his past. It turns out, when he was only 15, Bell had shared some unflattering and offensive comments on social media.
Local reports revealed that Bell was swiftly let go after the Trail Blazers were alerted to these old jokes, which they labeled “racist, sexist,” and “harmful.”
In posts from 2012, which were uncovered by KGW8, Bell allegedly wrote statements like, “I’m not racist at all.. But not gonna lie.. Asian people piss me off! Hahaha #Honest.” Another post expressed, “Gotta give a shoutout to all the big girls out there and those closet whores. #BigUps.”
Further posts from 2013 featured remarks like “We got a slut alert on aisle 10” and “Girls these nights … Smh. #ThirstyForTheD.”
The Trail Blazers did not take this lightly. They issued a statement reaffirming their zero tolerance for remarks that contravene the team’s policies and values, saying, “Therefore, we will not be moving forward with this broadcaster.”
The organization also emphasized the importance of maintaining a welcoming environment for all, expressing regret to the city and its fans.
It’s interesting to note that Portland, and the Trail Blazers in particular, have a history of embracing unconventional characters, even being colloquially nicknamed the “Jail Blazers” due to the checkered past of some players.
Responses to the firing have been mixed. Some critics pointed out that Oregon state law allows for the expungement of juvenile records for serious offenses. In contrast, Bell faced termination over adolescent social media commentary.
Clay Travis, the founder of OutKick, voiced his disapproval on social media, stating, “We have to stop firing people for tweets sent when they were minors.” He further argued that if a minor committed a crime, that record could be sealed; thus, holding someone accountable for old tweets feels unreasonable.
Blaze News attempted to reach Bell and his agency for their thoughts on the situation, but did not receive an immediate response.
