The NBA has reportedly launched an investigation into a Twitter account that users suggested could be used by veteran league referee Eric Lewis, according to NBA reporter Marc Stein.
The account @CuttliffBlair, which has since been scrubbed of its tweets, made rounds on Twitter after user @PabloEscoburner — in a tweet giving a hat tip to fellow user @Mikey_Wyllin — shared over three minutes of screen recordings that showed tweets that criticized users’ takes and defended Lewis’ officiating skills.
The user pointed out that the account followed NBA and referee-related accounts along with the George Mason University women’s basketball team account. The team is coached by Vanessa Blair‑Lewis, Lewis’ wife.
The account appears to still be up — and following @PabloEscoburner — as of Sunday morning.
The account later replied to @PabloEscoburner’s Twitter thread and claimed to be “MARK Lewis,” adding that they were Eric Lewis’ older brother.
“I’m sorry that I put E, in this situation, but this ain’t Watergate. You’re right, the account WILL be coming down. Twitter should not be this vindictive. Sorry to inconvenience you,” @CuttliffBlair wrote late Thursday.
“Just lean into it, bro. No shame. 😂,” @PabloEscoburner wrote back.
Lewis, who has been a referee in the NBA for nearly 20 seasons, has officiated over 80 playoff games and six NBA Finals games, according to the National Basketball Referees Association.
In a tweet on Saturday, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James raised his eyebrow at the possibility that Eric Lewis could be linked to the account.
James’ former Lakers teammate and now-Chicago Bulls player Patrick Beverley also weighed in on the account, referring to a January game in which he grabbed a camera in an attempt to show Lewis that he missed a foul.
The move earned Beverley a technical foul.
The allegations reminded NBA fans of ex-Philadelphia 76ers executive Bryan Colangelo, who resigned from his post in 2018 after a report from The Ringer tied him to a number of Twitter burner accounts that criticized former and current players on the Philly team.