The NBA playoffs were briefly overshadowed by controversy surrounding a burner account run by then-76ers GM Bryan Colangelo in 2018. Is a similar situation bubbling to the surface just in time for the NBA Finals?
Longtime NBA referee Eric Lewis is reportedly the subject of a league investigation after allegations about his use of social media. Lewis, who has worked six NBA Finals games since 2019 and was on the floor during the Western Conference Finals, is finishing up his 19th season as an NBA official.
The NBA Referees’ Association website says Lewis had officiated 1,098 regular season games and 82 playoff games entering this season.
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Here’s what you need to know about the NBA’s investigation into Lewis, including the precise reason for the inquiry.
Eric Lewis NBA investigation news
May 28: According to ESPN.com, the NBA has launched an investigation into Lewis after allegations that he was operating an anonymous Twitter account and commenting on officiating, which would be in violation of NBA rules.
The allegations first surfaced on social media thanks to a user who noticed suspicious tweets from the account, and the league has reportedly jumped in with an investigation of its own. As of now, there have been no updates on the progression of the investigation.
The only tweet from the account since the allegations surfaced was one claiming that Mark Lewis, supposedly the brother of Eric, is responsible. The profile has since been wiped and there have been no new tweets since the first report of the NBA’s investigation.
Why is the NBA investigating Eric Lewis?
Having an anonymous Twitter account isn’t against NBA rules, but referees are not allowed to publicly comment on officiating without approval from the league. If the account is proven to belong to Lewis, he could face discipline for his comments about officiating.
The account, which operated under the username “@CuttliffBlair,” posted several tweets that raised suspicions. It focused almost entirely on defending NBA officiating, with a certain fixation on Lewis. Many recent tweets were dedicated to defending Lewis against allegations he favors the Celtics.
NBA ref Eric Lewis has been outed as having a burner account (@CuttliffBlair). Lmaooo this is a momentous day. The account will surely be deleted soon so for the archives, the entirety of the account’s replies. All involving… yep, Eric Lewis. 😂
(h/t @Mikey_Wyllin) thread 🧵⬇️ pic.twitter.com/6GTvURouOc
— Pablo Escobarner (blue check) (@PabloEscoburner) May 25, 2023
Whether fair or not, an account that vigorously defends NBA officiating and focuses on one referee while the rest of social media is largely slanted against officiating naturally sticks out. In this case, the tweets were unique enough to raise some eyebrows.
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Who is Eric Lewis?
Lewis is a longtime NBA referee who is just finishing up his 19th season in the league. According to the NBA Referees’ Association website, Lewis entered this season with 1,098 regular season games and 82 playoff games under his belt. He worked two NBA Finals games in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
The 52-year-old Lewis played college basketball at Bethune Cookman and spent time officiating at the high school, college, and G League (known as the NBA D-League) levels before joining the NBA.
Lewis’ last assignment was Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the Nuggets and Lakers.
What did Eric Lewis do?
While the NBA investigation is ongoing, Lewis is accused of publicly commenting on officiating matters while using an anonymous Twitter account.
The account defended Lewis against allegations he favors the Celtics, saying, “Pretty sure there are other refs with similar stats with top teams,” when a user pointed out Boston’s strong record in games officiated by Lewis.
When another user ranked all active NBA officials and placed Lewis near the bottom of the list, the account responded, “Sooo you watched every referee?”
The account also said Lewis was never “the problem” when a user celebrated Lewis not being part of the officiating crew for Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals.
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The account focuses almost entirely on NBA officiating. While fans commonly tweet about officiating during the playoffs, they rarely comment on officiating in a consistently positive light.
Many of the account’s tweets are related to Lewis, with a handful defending Lewis against a false rumor that the Celtics are 82-0 in games he’s officiated. While the account is correct that there is no truth to the rumor, the fixation on defending Lewis and other NBA officials was enough to raise eyebrows on Twitter and now in NBA offices.
Eric Lewis burner account
The alleged Lewis burner account operates under the username “@CuttliffBlair.” The account was deactivated shortly after allegations surfaced, but it has since been reactivated.
In a tweet posted Thursday, the account claims to be run by Mark Lewis, allegedly the brother of Eric. “I’m sorry that I put E, in this situation,” the tweet says, “but this ain’t Watergate”
No other tweets have been posted by the account since the NBA’s investigation was first reported.
What is a burner account?
A burner account is an anonymous account created by an individual, whether to respond to posts or simply view posts without being tracked.
A few celebrities have been in the headlines for using burner accounts, and it’s not a surprise that many well-known figures would go that route. In an era in which just about all social media activity is closely followed, a burner account can allow an athlete to fly under the radar, follow anyone they want, and even respond to criticism anonymously.
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Former 76ers GM Bryan Colangelo was forced to resign after his burner Twitter account — which included criticism of Joel Embiid — was unearthed, while Kevin Durant has admitted to engaging with people using multiple burner accounts. Even former U.S. presidential nominee Mitt Romney had his burner account exposed by Slate.
There is nothing inherently against the rules about operating a burner account, but in this case, the NBA’s rules that prohibit referees from publicly commenting on officiating matters could be the trouble.
NBA player reactions
The news of the NBA’s investigation prompted reactions from a few players, including LeBron James and Patrick Beverley.
Lewis officiated a January game between the Celtics and Lakers this season that ended on a controversial no-call that would have went against Boston. James was apoplectic at the end of the game, and Beverley even brought a camera over to Lewis to show him the contact that occurred.
This Eric Lewis 💩 true??? 🤨
— LeBron James (@KingJames) May 27, 2023
Laughed at me when I grabbed the camera 📷 yea aight 🤦🏾♂️
— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) May 27, 2023
Kendrick Perkins, a former Celtic, found the entire situation hilarious now that Lewis has been accused of using a burner account.
Kendrick Perkins on First take crying at Eric Lewis getting caught with a burner account 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/RoBKhzpl5M
— Shannonnn sharpes Burner (PARODY Account) (@shannonsharpeee) May 29, 2023
