76ers Investigate Team Executive's Twitter Use

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Copyright 2018 Richmond Newspapers, Inc.
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Richmond Times Dispatch (Virginia)

 

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers are investigating whether team president Bryan Colangelo used a variety of Twitter accounts to anonymously trash some of his players and fellow executives and defend himself against criticism from fans and the sports media.

The allegations, reported Tuesday by the sports website The Ringer, raised questions about Colangelo's future and the NBA team as it heads an important summer trying to attract free agents.

The five Twitter accounts under suspicion took aim at Philadelphia players Joel Embiid and Markelle Fultz, former Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie, Toronto Raptors executive Masai Ujiri and former Sixers players Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel, according to The Ringer.

Among other things, the user or users of the accounts complained that Embiid, the 24-year-old All-Star center, was "playing like a toddler having tantrums" and was "a bit lazy," ''selfish" and "acting like a tool."

The user of one of the accounts claimed to know Colangelo and described him more than once as a "class act." The tweets also raised the question of whether Colangelo used the anonymous accounts to divulge team strategy and details about players' medical conditions.

Colangelo acknowledged using one of the accounts to monitor the NBA industry and other current events but said he wasn't familiar with the four others.

Embiid, Philly's franchise star, made a few wisecracks about the furor on Twitter before saying he didn't believe the story.

The Sixers had at least 20 impostor accounts shut down this season with people pretending to be Colangelo, a person familar with the investigation told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the probe is not over.

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May 31, 2018
 
 
 

 

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