Report: Philadelphia 76ers’ GM Used Fake Twitter Accounts to Smear Players

Bryan Colangelo, the general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers, allegedly used several fake Twitter accounts to smear his own current and former players, including by disclosing confidential medical information, The Ringer reports. Citing an unnamed source, The Ringer linked five accounts to Colangelo, three of which reportedly were set to private immediately after the team was asked about Colangelo’s knowledge of them. The accounts reportedly pushed sports reporters to write negative news stories on NBA players Jahlil Okafor, Nerlens Noel, and Joel Embiid. In one case, a Twitter account purportedly linked to Colangelo claimed Okafor failed a physical and ruined a potential trade. Confidential information about injuries suffered by Noel and Embiid were also made public by the accounts, according to the report. Colangelo, who was frequently praised by the Twitter accounts in question, has denied operating them, telling The Ringer he doesn’t “know who is behind them or what their motives may be.”