In a moment that perfectly illustrates the chaos of modern sports media, a parody account on X managed to fool not just fans. but two of ESPN’s most respected NBA reporters. with a fake retirement announcement about legendary broadcaster Mike Breen.
The account, operating under the name “Scam Charnia”, a tongue-in-cheek spoof of NBA insider Shams Charania, posted a convincingly styled “breaking news” graphic claiming that Breen was retiring after more than three decades in broadcasting. The post featured a photo of Breen, a fabricated quote, and all the visual trappings of a legitimate scoop. Despite the obviously satirical username, the post spread rapidly and was taken at face value by many, including ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Marc J. Spears.
Shelburne responded with a tribute tweet, writing “Triple bang for the Hall of Famer,” while Spears added, “Legendary announcer and legendary humble person.”
ESPN GOT SCAMMED 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/Dwwa3WEgs0
— Scam Charnia (@ScamCharnia) July 2, 2025
Both posts were later deleted once the hoax was uncovered, but not before screenshots circulated widely, prompting laughter and light-hearted jabs across the NBA internet.
Breen, who recently called his 20th NBA Finals and signed a multi-year extension with ESPN in 2023, is not retiring. In fact, he’s expected to return next season as the network’s lead NBA play-by-play voice.
