Move over, KD. There’s a new burner account scandal in the NBA.
Eric Lewis is a 52-year-old referee in his 19th season in the league. He’s also the latest guy in NBA circles to potentially get caught with a burner Twitter account, which unfolded Thursday on social media.
It started when an account called @Mikey_Wyllin sent out a tweet Thursday morning declaring that the account @CuttliffBlair was Lewis and that the “JIGG IS UP”.
An NBA ref with a burner???
Once #NBATwitter gets ahold of something as juicy as this – it’s all over. If the account wasn’t owned by Lewis, it sure looked that way, before it was deleted by 1 p.m PT. on Thursday afternoon. But not before @PabloEscoburner was able to screen record the replies from Lewis’ purported burner.
@CuttliffBlair had been around for years, but became active during this postseason, as the account often replied to critics of Lewis, or those who took aim at his wife posting a photo of herself in a Celtics jersey.
@CuttliffBlair also took offense to fans who implied the Warriors got help from Lewis during two different games this postseason. And we got receipts, folks. Here are six Warriors-related tweets from @CuttliffBlair during the playoffs:
This is my favorite one.
There is a popular Twitter bot called @ExplainThisBob. If you reply to a tweet and tag the account, the bot will automatically parse out information in simple english. Rob Buchanan is a fake NBA reporter from a satire news organization called Ballsack Sports.
A ref replying to a bot that was used to reply to a satire shitpost. That’s gold.
Refereeing was a hot topic of discussion between the Warriors-Lakers series. Lakers fans were upset with the officiating in Game 2, when the Warriors had 16 free throws and the Lakers had 17, following a big L.A.-favored disparity in Game 1.
Guess who was working Game 2? Lewis.
Back in 2022, Lewis’ wife Vanessa Blair Lewis posted a photo of herself in a Celtics jersey and it’s been used as ammo against him ever since.
After the Warriors evened up the series in Game 2 against the Lakers, @CuttliffBlair replied to a fan who said Lewis “hates the Lakers.”
“You act like the Dubs are bama” should be put on a T-shirt.
“Gtfoh” – or get the f–k outta here – is @CuttliffBlair’s go-to response. The account made a strong case that the Warriors simply outplayed the Lakers in Game 2.
After Game 3 of the Kings-Warriors first round series, which Lewis officiated, @CuttliffBlair responded to a fan who implied he was trying to help out Sacramento.
Another “Gtfoh” from @CuttliffBlair! Once again, he said the Warriors were the better team against the Kings and didn’t need any help.
As the account @PabloEscoburner noted, @CuttliffBlair had no followers and only followed five accounts - two from the NBA, two regarding NBA refs and the George Mason women’s basketball team, where his wife is currently the head coach.
You gotta cover up the tracks better than this. If that account was indeed Lewis, the NBA might even have to issue a statement about it. Lewis last officiated a game on May 16 between the Lakers and Nuggets.
In our current day and age, these allegations are something that will follow Lewis for the rest of his career. He will forever be The Ref With A Burner Account and be hearing it from fans.
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