Timberwolves Brasil
Type of site | X account |
|---|---|
| Available in | Brazilian Portuguese |
| Country of origin | Brazil |
| Created by | Rodrigo Barbosa |
| URL | twitter |
| Launched | April 2018 |
| Current status | Offline |
Timberwolves Brasil was a fan account for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association that posted under the handle @twolvesbrazil on X (formerly Twitter). Not affiliated with the team, the account was created in 2018 by Timberwolves fan Rodrigo Barbosa, based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
During the 2023–24 Timberwolves season, the account became a viral phenomenon, attracting media attention for its "unhinged",[1] "disturbing",[2] sometimes "fetishistic"[3] and "extremely NSFW"[4] posts. The account passed 100,000 followers in December 2023.[3]
History
[edit]Timberwolves Brasil was created on Twitter in April 2018 by Brazilian social media manager Rodrigo Barbosa, who lives in Rio de Janeiro and has never been to Minnesota, but became a Minnesota Timberwolves superfan after playing NBA Live video games in the early 2000s and following the Timberwolves through their 2004 playoff run.[3]
The account gained traction at the beginning of the 2023-24 Timberwolves season when Barbosa posted a video of a giant wolf sucking on and devouring a humanoid leopard, celebrating the Timberwolves' first win of the season against the Miami Heat.[4][2] Throughout the season, after every Timberwolves victory, Barbosa posted similar videos of wolves, some of which drew from sexual fetish content including vore and furry fetishes; Barbosa said this was unintentional, remarking "Timberwolves wins are my fetish. My only fetish!"[3] The posts are often accompanied by Brazilian Portuguese catchphrases supporting the team, including "O lobo come" ("The wolf eats").[4]
In 2023, GQ described a "larger ecosystem" of Brazil-based NBA fan accounts for teams such as the Phoenix Suns and Toronto Raptors, many of which post similarly risqué content.[4]
As of 13 January 2024, the Timberwolves Brasil X account has been deactivated; it is unclear whether the account will return.[5]
Reactions
[edit]Timberwolves Brasil has attracted attention from media outlets, including official NBA accounts, for its shocking and humorous content. As sports blog SB Nation described, "almost everything Timberwolves Brasil posts is sexual, horrifying, and sometimes both."[1] In an article profiling Timberwolves Brasil, Rolling Stone called it "basketball's favorite gonzo account".[3]
On 30 October 2023, the official Timberwolves account quoted one of Timberwolves Brasil's posts with an image expressing the team's shock.[2] In November 2023, Boston Celtics player Oshae Brissett tweeted, "They can't keep getting away with this", in response to a Timberwolves Brasil video posted after the Timberwolves defeated the Celtics.[3]
On 8 May 2024, the official Timberwolves X account would hold a contest offering the prize of a "TWOLVESBRAZIL" jersey to one randomly selected follower who retweeted the post.
References
[edit]- ^ a b Dator, James (7 November 2023). "Timberwolves Brazil is the most unhinged sports account on the internet". SB Nation. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ a b c Austin Jr., Ahmad (7 November 2023). "You Cannot Unsee Disturbing Videos from Viral NBA Fan Twitter Account — Which Even Shocked NBA Team". Mediaite. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f Klee, Miles (19 December 2023). "How 'Timberwolves Brasil' Became Basketball's Favorite Gonzo Fan Account". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ a b c d Roberson, Matthew (2 November 2023). "What on Earth Is Going On With the Timberwolves Brazilian X Account?". GQ. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ Rudder, Paul (13 January 2024). "What happened to the Timberwolves Brazil Twitter account?". As. Retrieved 12 February 2024.