Former Trail Blazers broadcaster Braiden Bell apologizes for past offensive tweets
Braiden Bell issued a public apology after the Portland Trail Blazers terminated his hiring following the discovery of racist and misogynistic posts from his teenage years.
Braiden Bell posted an apology on Twitter on Friday, acknowledging that offensive tweets he wrote at age 15 in 2012 and 2013 do not reflect his current character. He said he regrets the harm caused and pledged to treat people with kindness and respect.
The apology came a day after the Portland Trail Blazers announced Bell as their new television play-by-play announcer, a role that would have seen him replace veteran Kevin Calabro and work alongside color analyst Lamar Hurd. Within hours of the hiring announcement, local station KGW reported a series of Bell's past social-media posts containing racist and misogynistic remarks about Asians and women.
Following the revelations, the Trail Blazers rescinded Bell's contract offer, ending his brief tenure with the franchise.