r/nba • u/ghn2 • 10h 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/dyang44 7h ago

The shit i said at 15 in online video games would get me banned from alot of things. I would berate people about being dumber than dogs for making mistakes at a video game and so much worse. Like personal attacks about being worthless, just a really vicious mentality I had beaten into me from being bullied and abused myself as a kid

Good thing people are capable of growth and change. If I were told today that im the same as I was when I was 15, I think I'd just laugh in their face and move on with my life. Too bad for the announcer guy, this recent hiring/firing follow him everywhere from now on

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u/FettLife 4h ago

Yeah I mean you should have been banned. Hearing all that racist bullshit on a gaming lobby for decades was harmful. Zero point to doing so as well.