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The Portland Trail Blazers withdrew their hiring of television play-by-play announcer Braiden Bell on October 1, 2026, hours after announcing him for the role. The team said old racist and misogynistic posts on Bell’s social media account violated team and league policies. Bell apologized the next day and said he had written the posts when he was 15.
Why did the Blazers fire Braiden Bell?
The team said posts Bell made in 2012 and 2013 were “in clear violation of team and league policies, as well as our values and expectations.” The posts came to light after KGW-TV reporter Devon Haskins reviewed Bell’s account following the hiring announcement. OPB’s report, updated October 3, 2026, and an Associated Press report carried by The Washington Post both describe the posts broadly as racist and misogynistic; their published accounts do not provide a complete, independently verified transcript of each post.
The Blazers also acknowledged a failure in their hiring process. In a statement reproduced by OPB and AP, the team said: “We did not meet our own bar in this process, and for that we apologize to Blazers fans and to Rip City.”
What happened, and when?
- Thursday, October 1, 2026: The Blazers announced Bell as their new television play-by-play broadcaster, replacing longtime announcer Kevin Calabro.
- Hours later: After Haskins surfaced the old posts, the team announced it would not move forward with Bell.
- Friday: Bell issued an apology for the language in the posts.
OPB’s October 3 account and the AP report published October 2 provide the reported timeline: OPB and The Washington Post/AP.
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What did Bell say in his apology?
Bell wrote: “I am deeply sorry for the language that I used on Twitter.” He said the tweets were written 14 years earlier, when he was 15, and said they did not reflect who he is today. Those statements about his age at the time and his present-day character are Bell’s own account. He also said he regretted the harm caused and apologized to people hurt by his words.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Who is Braiden Bell?
Bell was 29 at the time of the hiring announcement, according to AP reporting. Before Portland, he called games for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and the G League’s Valley Suns. The Blazers had selected him to replace Kevin Calabro as their television play-by-play announcer.
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