The Portland Trail Blazers moved fast to undo a hire that had barely lasted a day.
Braiden Bell, who was announced as the team’s new play-by-play broadcaster and was set to become the youngest in that role at 29 years old, has been fired after racist tweets from 2012 and 2013 resurfaced online. The posts were uncovered after the Blazers revealed the hiring on social media.
The team issued a statement making clear it was ending the relationship immediately: "The Portland Trail Blazers have zero tolerance for racist, sexist, or harmful comments. Social media posts made by our recently announced play-by-play broadcaster are in clear violation of team and league policies, as well as our values and expectations. Therefore, we will not be moving forward with this broadcaster," the statement read.
"The play-by-play role carries a long legacy of excellence on the broadcast and in character, and we hold that standard without exception. 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 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."
The tweets that triggered the backlash were written when Bell was a teenager. On Dec. 9, 2012, he posted, "I'm not racist at all..
But not gonna lie.. Asian people piss me off!
Hahaha #Honest." That tweet has since been deleted.
Another post came on Nov. 30, 2012: "Gotta give a shoutout to all the big girls out there and those closet w--res."
Two more controversial tweets followed in 2013. On Feb.
13, Bell wrote, "We got a sl-t alert on aisle 10," and on Feb. 24 he posted, "Girls these nights... Smh.
#ThirstyForTheD."
A KGW 8 reporter found the tweets and reached out to the Blazers after they resurfaced.
Now Portland has to restart its search for a replacement for Kevin Calabro, who declined to return after being offered a pay cut that he called a "subprime" contract. Calabro later took a job earlier in the offseason with the Minnesota Timberwolves as their play-by-play broadcaster.
The Blazers open their preseason Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors. Tip-off is set for 7 pm PT at the Moda Center in Portland.
In Other News...
Nebraska Injury Report Just Raised The Stakes For Maryland
Nebraskas latest availability report brought a little more clarity, and a little more uncertainty, as the Cornhuskers continued sorting through their health ahead of the Maryland matchup. Jamal Rule moved from doubtful to questionable, while Jacory Barney Jr. went from questionable to probable, giving Nebraska a better chance to have more of its roster available when it matters most.
The report also added another layer to the backfield picture, with junior running back Mekhi Nelson listed as questionable after seeing action in the previous game. Several other statuses shifted as well, including some players who remain out for the season, so Nebraska still has some important decisions to monitor before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Suddenly Has A Backfield Concern Fans Didn't See Coming
Nebraskas backfield picture got a little murkier this week heading into the Maryland game, with the injury report listing running back Mekhi Nelson as questionable and Jamal Rule still doubtful. For a team trying to keep momentum in conference play, any uncertainty at running back matters, especially when depth can be tested quickly and game plans often have to adjust on the fly.
At the same time, the program has a notable recruiting moment on deck with 5-star EDGE prospect David Jacobs expected on campus for a visit, a reminder that the staff is still working the long game while sorting out immediate availability issues. It also comes against a busy stretch around the athletic department, with Nebraska volleyball just sweeping Penn State to extend its win streak and give Dani Busboom Kelly her 250th career win. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Can Shake Up More Than Its Own Season This Weekend
Nebraskas trip to Maryland comes at a time when the Cornhuskers are trying to keep their own momentum going, but it also sits in the middle of a bigger national ripple effect. With No. 15 Oregon on a bye before its meeting with No. 23 UCLA, the Ducks will be watching this weekend closely, and the Cornhuskers are part of a slate that could alter how the Pac-12 race and the rankings look when the dust settles.
The attention on Nebraska is broader than one conference result, too, because Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiolas transfer from Nebraska adds another layer to the weekends watch list. Along with Ohio State-Iowa and Alabama-Mississippi State, Nebraska-Maryland is one of the games that could shape future matchups and reshuffle perceptions in a hurry, making the Cornhuskers a surprising part of a much larger conversation. [Read more 🡒]