Trail Blazers fire new announcer hours after hiring for tweets made as teenager

The Portland Trail Blazers announced the firing of Braiden Bell, their newly hired television play-by-play broadcaster, shortly after his employment. The reason for his dismissal was due to racist and misogynistic posts he made during his teenage years, which resurfaced on his active X account. The offensive tweets included derogatory remarks about Asian people and women, while his behavior became more sports-focused by 2015.

The Trail Blazers, known for their zero tolerance policy on such comments, fired Bell after reviewing his social media posts. The team also acknowledged their inadequate response in the hiring process, expressing regret to fans and the community. Bell was set to replace Kevin Calabro, the station's voice since 2016, who left the organization due to a subpar contract.

This firing adds to the Trail Blazers' challenges, including recent layoffs, a proposed $600 million renovation for their Moda Center, and concerns about the team's future in Portland. The organization vowed to search for a new broadcaster who aligns with their values.