Bryan Colangelo speaks during a news conference at the NBA basketball team's practice facility in Camden. Photo / AP
The NBA has been stunned by accusations a team general manager used five burner accounts on Twitter to leak sensitive information and make petty criticisms of his own star players.
An extraordinary report from theringer.com, claims Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo went to extreme lengths to attack Sixers players, including All Star centre Joel Embiid, while also moving to smear rival NBA officials and defend his own reputation.
Colangelo has admitted to using one of the five Twitter accounts The Ringer claims he is behind — but has denied he is the author behind one of the most active Twitter accounts which shared inside information about the club and players.
The report also claims Colangelo tried to cover his tracks by making three of the Twitter accounts private when first asked by media representatives if he was behind two of the other accounts.
The Sixers boss has denied the accusations put to him in the report.
"Like many of my colleagues in sports, I have used social media as a means to keep up with the news," Colangelo said in a 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."
Colangelo has gone into damage control since the story has been published, making contact with Embiid to deny any link to the tweets about the Cameroonian centre.
The Ringer claims one of Colangelo's burner accounts slammed Embiid during the 2016-17 season for being an "idiot whose head is getting too big" after he was struck down with injury.
One of the accounts tweeted: "Too bad that Embiid danced like a fool and the whole disaster happened, next time he will think twice before mocking his team".
Here’s the Eric Jr. account shredding Embiid after the injury last year: pic.twitter.com/0z6KiyUzuz
— Crossing Broad (@CrossingBroad) May 30, 2018
Small sampling of Eric jr’s likes pic.twitter.com/KWEZJpvC7L
— NBCs The Slap (@NBCsTheSlap) May 30, 2018
ESPN reported on Wednesday (AEST) Colangelo called Embiid to clear the air.
Embiid told ESPN he accepts Colangelo's explanation, but also went to Twitter to poke fun at his general manager.
"I talked to him and he said that he didn't say that," Embiid said.
"He called me just to deny the story. Gotta believe him until proven otherwise. If true, though, that would be really bad."
BRUH pic.twitter.com/hv59PDxlgY
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) May 30, 2018
Joel told me that @samhinkie IS BETTER AND SMARTER THAN YOU @AlVic40117560 #BurnerAccount
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) May 30, 2018
Sixers All-Star center Joel Embiid tells ESPN on Bryan Colangelo: “I talked to him and he said that he didn’t say that. He called me just to deny the story. Gotta believe him until proven otherwise. If true though, that would be really bad.”
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 30, 2018
Maybe there’s an IT person who can prove it wasn’t Bryan Colangelo, but here’s one of his biggest problems in disputing Ringer story: Those tweets reflected not only private team biz, but launched personal beefs/jealousies/frustrations that he’s shared inside and outside 76ers.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 30, 2018
Nevertheless, Colangelo is denying he is responsible for those tweets and many league executives seem to believe this: It is hard to fathom a GM risking his job in such a reckless manner. Many are giving him the benefit of doubt on that level alone. It just doesn’t add up. https://t.co/BDn3n0os2a
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 30, 2018
Embiid was just one of many NBA identities torn to pieces by the so-called burner accounts.
The Ringer accuses Colangelo, a veteran basketball official with previous appointments with Toronto and Phoenix, with criticising No. 1 draft pick Markelle Fultz, former Philly stars Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor — as well as former 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie — Colangelo's predecessor.
The accounts also contacted Philadelphia-based reporters claiming to have inside information on players — including injury revelations — and told reporters to ask specific questions before press conferences with officials and players.
NBA commentators have declared the burner accounts have an overwhelming supply of insider information — which nobody outside the organisation would have been privy too.
The so-called burner accounts remain unverified, but NBA commentators have declared Colangelo's future looks bleak.
Things are about to get very ugly in Camden pic.twitter.com/AW1xuw56Tz
— Jon Johnson (@jonjohnsonwip) May 30, 2018
My god this is terrible
— Jon Johnson (@jonjohnsonwip) May 30, 2018
Just when I was getting depressed bc there weren’t any NBA tonight, this happens. I knew there was a basketball god after all.
— Trevor Booker (@35_Fitz) May 30, 2018
Oh this is getting crazy..
— 🏁 Jamal Crawford (@JCrossover) May 30, 2018