Former 76ers GM BRYAN COLANGELO is among the list of new owners of the NBL's Illawarra Hawks, and he is joining the Australian team after he "disappeared from the public eye" following a controversy that led to his departure from the NBA, according to Sam Phillips of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Colangelo while with the 76ers was "caught up in a bizarre Twitter 'burner' account scandal," which led to his resignation. In the two years since, Colangelo has "scarcely spoken publicly about the incident." Colangelo said, "I have stayed very much under the radar on the topic because it's a sensitive topic, for a lot of reasons. Family, personal, professional, or otherwise. I have to say I was dealt a pretty big blow, personally and professionally. And it's been a difficult time dealing with the fallout. I was completely blindsided by the accusation and the storyline of the controversy." He added, "It's in the past and I'm ready to move on." Phillips notes Colangelo is both an "equity partner and an advisor" for the Hawks, and he "believes his experience in rebuilding NBA franchises from the ground up will aid the foundation club as it strives to climb out of the NBL cellar" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 6/22).
