Fired NBA Staffer Breaks Silence After Deeply Disturbing Tweets Resurface

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Braiden Bell, a now-former Portland Trail Blazers play-by-play announcer, has broken his silence after the NBA team fired him over past social media posts.

A day before his statement, Bell was on top of the world, celebrating his new gig with the Portland Trail Blazers after previously calling games for the WNBA‘s Phoenix Mercury.

Things came crashing down just hours later, though, when a news outlet reported on Bell’s previous posts, some of which featured problematic and deeply offensive language.

While Bell initially locked his account, he spoke out after the Portland Trail Blazers parted ways with the 29-year-old and condemned his language in a passionate statement.

Former Portland Trail Blazers Announcer Breaks His Silence After Previous Posts Resurface

Bell shared a statement on his X account and apologized for the resurfaced X posts that had become a talking point throughout the NBA.

“I am deeply sorry for the language that I used on Twitter,” he wrote. “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 do not take lightly any harm it causes now.”

Bell continued, “I regret this being my 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.”

What Did Braiden Bell’s Past Posts Say?

According to The New York Post and KGW, Bell allegedly made offensive posts between 2012 and 2013 about “Asian people.” He also referred to women as “wh-res” and “sl-ts.”

The Trail Blazers didn’t take long to part ways with Bell and denounce his past posts in a lengthy statement, saying they have “zero tolerance for racist, sexist, or harmful comments.”

The statement continued, “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.”

According to the NBA team, already under fire over the drama surrounding its former coach, Chauncey Billups, the organization failed to “meet our own bar” when hiring Bell. “We believe strongly 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,” the statement finished.

Drama Surrounding The Portland Trail Blazers

The unwanted attention surrounding Bell and his past social media posts is the last thing the Trail Blazers need right now, considering the team has already been dealing with the aftermath of its former coach, Chauncey Billups, being charged with wire fraud and money laundering in 2025.

According to ABC News, the former NBA player, who took on the coaching job in 2021, was accused of being part of an illegal poker organization connected to the Mafia. The reported poker games, which included other celebrity figures, were allegedly rigged to benefit those organizing them using advanced technology, including shuffling machines and X-ray machines.

“The fraud is mind-boggling,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “We’re talking about tens of millions of dollars in theft, in fraud, in robbery.”

The Portland Trail Blazers Placed Billups On An Indefinite Leave

The Trail Blazers said the team was aware of the charges and allegations against Billups and said it would cooperate fully with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. The team also placed Billups on an indefinite leave.

The NBA followed suit, releasing a statement and saying it was conducting its own investigation into Billups’ alleged role in the shady poker scheme. “We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and the integrity of our game remains our top priority,” it said.

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Billups Pleads Not Guilty In Court

In November 2025, Billups appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, per ESPN. The Hall of Fame basketball player was released on a $5 million bond and used his Colorado home as collateral.

According to a previous report from The Blast, Billups also listed his 8,000-square-foot home located in Lake Oswego in late November. The massive property includes resort-style amenities, such as a lagoon pool, a spa with a lavish waterfall, a private backyard golf complex, a home theater, a wine cellar, a gym, and a 3-car garage.

The Fired NBA Staffer Breaks Silence After Deeply Disturbing Tweets Resurface first appeared on The Blast