Portland, OR – The Portland Trail Blazers announced on Monday that they have terminated the employment of Braiden Bell, the 29‑year‑old play‑by‑play announcer hired just hours earlier to replace longtime voice Kevin Calabro. Bell, who came to the NBA from the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and was set to become the league’s youngest lead broadcaster, was dismissed after teenage tweets from 2012 and 2013 resurfaced online.
Background on the tweets
In December 2012, Bell posted a tweet that read, “I’m not racist at all.. But not gonna lie.. Asian people p— me off! Hahaha #Honest.” A later tweet in July 2013 said, “no blacks either. #racist.” The posts were written when Bell was 15 years old.
Team’s response
The organization issued a statement citing its “zero tolerance for racist, sexist, or harmful comments” and said the social‑media posts violated team and league policies as well as the franchise’s values. The statement added, “We did not meet our own bar in this process, and for that we apologize to Blazers fans and to Rip City. We believe strongly that everyone who is a part of Rip City should feel welcome and safe, and we will make sure our new broadcaster reflects these values. We will do better.”
Legal challenge
Bell retained sports‑employment attorney Arnie Herz, who previously represented former San Antonio Spurs broadcaster Jacob Tobey in a reinstatement case. In a statement to OutKick, Herz argued that a teenager’s words from fourteen years ago should not dictate a man’s entire professional life. “Should the worst words a fifteen‑year‑old ever wrote decide the rest of his life? That is the question now before the Portland Trail Blazers,” the statement read. Herz emphasized that Bell has owned his past mistakes and is asking for a chance to be judged on his recent conduct.
Bell’s apology
Bell issued a public apology, saying, “I am deeply sorry for the language that I used on Twitter. These tweets, while wrong, were written by me 14 years ago while I was only 15 years old and have no reflection of who I am today. I regret this being the first impression to many of you online, but I can take solace in knowing that the people who truly know me understand that this is not the kind of person I am. Again, I’d like to apologize to anyone who was hurt by my words and will continue to always treat people with kindness and respect.”
Team’s final stance
When pressed for comment on the legal demand for reinstatement, the Trail Blazers reiterated their original decision in a statement to The Athletic, saying, “We stand by our statement issued last week and have no further comment at this time. We wish Mr. Bell the best.”
The controversy highlights the growing scrutiny of public figures’ historic social‑media activity and the balance organizations seek between accountability and redemption.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
