PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Days after being fired by the Portland Trail Blazers over social media posts he made as a teenager, Braiden Bell is asking the team for a second chance.
The 29-year-old who, hours after being hired as the team’s new play-by-play broadcaster on Thursday, was subsequently fired for racist and misogynistic tweets he made in 2013, has hired legal counsel and is asking to be reinstated.
“Braiden is not asking anyone to excuse what he wrote,” said Arnie Herz, who is providing counsel to Bell. “He has owned it, without excuses. What he is asking is whether a boy’s words from fourteen years ago should outweigh everything the man has done since. If that is the standard, there is hardly a person in any organization in America who could meet it. Accountability means owning what you did and showing who you have become. Braiden has done both.”
One day after his previous posts were brought to light, Bell issued an apology.
“I am deeply sorry for the language that I used on Twitter. 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. 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,” Bell said.
Herz also says he is making a call to the NBA to “lead the conversation toward a fairer approach.”
“The NBA has led on social issues before. It can lead here, from moral absolutism toward a culture of accountability, compassion and understanding,” Herz said.
Bell also released a statement on Monday, saying: “I love this game, I love this city, and I am grateful to every fan who has reached out over the past few days,” said Mr. Bell. “I will keep working every day to be someone Rip City can be proud of, whatever happens next.”
KOIN 6 has reached out to the Blazers for comment.
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