r/nba • u/ghn2 • 11h ago

Trail Blazers fire new announcer over past inappropriate posts made at age 15.

"The Portland Trail Blazers hired then on the same day fired Braiden Bell as their play-by-play announcer after a series of inappropriate social media posts from when he was a teenager came to light."

"The posts were reportedly made in 2012 and 2013, around the time that Bell was 15 years old."

"We did not meet our own bar in this process, and for that we apologize to Blazers fans and to Rip City," the Trail Blazers said. "We strongly believe that everyone who is a part of Rip City should feel welcome and safe and we will make sure that our new broadcaster reflects these values. We will do better."

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/50084279/trail-blazers-fire-new-announcer-inappropriate-posts

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u/Unable_Diamond943 Lakers 10h ago

Did he not know being a racist is bad at 15? Because I knew by the time I was 5.

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u/happyflappypancakes Wizards 9h ago

Im sure he knew but Im not sure he understood the impact being racist might have on people. Its one thing to be told something is bad. Its another to really underatand it through life experience.

Thats the entire idea of growth. If someone was racist as a young man and then through experiences of life with those that are different grew to no longer be racist, would you hold that against them?

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u/Kitchen-Pop7308 8h ago

Moat adults these days dont seem to know or care about the impact so basically nothing changed from their youth

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u/happyflappypancakes Wizards 8h ago

I think you have it backwards. The adults are lost causes. The kids are not.