After the startling discovery of Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo potentially using undercover Twitter accounts, the team has decided to launch an independent investigation into the allegations.
The accounts that are suspected to be maintained and managed by Colangelo took shots at multiple 76ers players such as Joel Embiid and Markelle Fultz and former Sixers Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel. The accounts also staunchly stood up for Colangelo while slandering other front office figures such as Sam Hinkie and Raptors President Masai Ujiri. The Sixers released a statement regarding their investigation Wednesday:
“An online media outlet filed a story linking multiple social media accounts to 76ers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo. The allegations are serious and we have commenced an independent investigation into the matter. We will report the results of that investigation as soon as it is concluded.”
The Ringer initially conducted their own research behind Colangelo’s undercover Twitter activity, questioning the 76ers about two of the five Twitter accounts that all shared similar patterns. Following the call, the three other Twitter accounts that were not even mentioned, all went from public accounts to private while the other two have remained inactive since.
Upon further inquiry with the Sixers front office days later in which all five accounts were mentioned, Colangelo admitted to The Ringer to using only one of the accounts as a burner, claiming he used it to keep up with the latest on Twitter.
Like many of my colleagues in sports, I have used social media as a means to keep up with the news. 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.
Obviously serious allegations that even disclosed personal information at times, the Sixers must delve deeper into this deep-rooted issue until a conclusion can officially be made. On the surface, it appears that Bryan Colangelo has been managing these five Twitter accounts in varying capacities since joining the Sixers, but some remain skeptical including All-NBA center Joel Embiid.
Fun night on Twitter lmao.. All jokes asides I don’t believe the story. That would just be insane
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) May 30, 2018
Colangelo was first hired by the 76ers in April 2016 and stepped in when the aforementioned Sam Hinkie resigned. The Sixers have since transformed themselves into an Eastern Conference powerhouse but it remains to be seen the impact this investigation may have on the franchise.
You can view a handful of tweets from Colangelo’s suspected burner accounts below (screenshots courtesy of The Ringer).
