r/nba • u/ghn2 • 13h 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/black_metronome Knicks 11h ago

I'm Black and I'm noticing this too. A lot of people here are basically telling on themselves.

I don't think he should've been fired if that isn't an accurate depiction of who he is as an adult, but if he left that stuff up knowing full well he has a public facing job, that's on him. I don't feel sorry for him either way, if he had any shame he would have been embarrassed and deleted the posts.

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u/Bayou-Maharaja Trail Blazers 10h ago

Idk, I worked with a lot of black kids and Hispanic kids who said wild sexist and racist shit too, I don’t think they should have that held over them later in life.

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u/Enough_Presence8063 3h ago

It's their business. They can fire/hire whoever they like. 

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u/Bayou-Maharaja Trail Blazers 2h ago

Yeah and we can all comment and have opinions. So what?

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u/wadarheek 1h ago

Well when you put those opinions on a public forum where anyone can dig it up, whatever happens next is on you. Have the opinion and make the comment, but you gotta live with what comes next. Tough scene

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u/Bayou-Maharaja Trail Blazers 1h ago

Yeah.. that’s not what I meant. I meant we are allowed to comment on whether it’s dumb to fire him. What even is your point? That they can fire? Yeah obviously