NBA Parody Account NBACentel Returns After Brief Ban on X

The popular parody account, known for its satirical posts and viral pranks, was reinstated after disappearing due to X's crackdown on parody profiles.

NBACentel, a parody account mimicking the NBA news aggregator NBA Central, was briefly banned from X but returned on Thursday morning.
The account, which has gained over 360,000 followers, is widely known for its humorous fake news posts that have fooled NBA players, teams, and media figures.
NBA teams, including the Sacramento Kings, Miami Heat, and Orlando Magic, publicly expressed support for the account during its absence, with some dedicating wins to it.
Speculation about the ban points to X's enforcement of stricter guidelines on parody accounts under Elon Musk's leadership, though no official reason has been confirmed.
The term 'centel’d,' coined to describe being tricked by the account's posts, was officially recognized as a verb by Merriam-Webster in 2024.