Looks like Kevin Durant isn’t the only one with burner accounts on social media. According to a report from The Ringer, Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo routinely used five fake Twitter accounts to criticize players, leak sensitive information and share team strategy.
The accounts reportedly posted from April 2016 to last week and criticized players like Jahlil Okafor and Markelle Fultz, coach Brett Brown and former general manager Sam Hinkie. The tweets also disclosed nonpublic medical information about Okafor and gossip about Joell Embiid and Fultz.
All of the accounts always defended Colangelo.
The 76ers confirmed Colangelo was behind one of the accounts. They never mentioned the other three Twitter accounts, but all three were subsequently switched to private after rumors started swirling.
After being asked about a link between all five accounts, the team released a statement from Colangelo:
“Like many of my colleagues in sports, I have used social media as a means to keep up with the news,” Colangelo said in the statement. “While I have never posted anything whatsoever on social media, I have used the @Phila1234567 Twitter account referenced in this story to monitor our industry and other current events. This storyline is disturbing to me on many levels, as I am not familiar with any of the other accounts that have been brought to my attention, nor do I know who is behind them or what their motives may be in using them.”
The report was initially triggered by a tip from a source who works in artificial intelligence. The 52-year-old Colangelo has worked in the NBA for almost 30 years.
