Russell Westbrook has something to say to NBA fans harassing his family!
The Los Angeles Lakers star has faced scrutiny at the hands of fans after a season of under-performance with the California team. Westbrook’s wife, Nina, took to social media to showcase the harassment the family has received throughout his first season as a Laker.
“I 100 percent stand behind my wife and how she’s feeling,” Westbrook said following a loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. “When it comes to basketball, I don’t mind the criticism of missing and making shots. But the moment it becomes where my name is getting shamed, it becomes an issue.”
The harassment Nina detailed includes obscenities and death wishes placed upon the Westbrook family.
“I’m having obscenity’s and death wishes for me and my family sent my way because you’re expressing your “truth”, it’s hard for me to get on board with that.” Westbrook wrote on her Twitter account.
When I’m being harassed on a daily basis over basketball games, and I’m having obscenity’s and death wishes for me and my family sent my way because you’re expressing your “truth”, it’s hard for me to get on board with that.
— Nina Westbrook (@ninawestbrook) March 7, 2022
Westbrook spoke on the effect that the constant bullying and criticism that both he and his family have faced during the 2021-2022 season, even citing the nickname “Westbrick” as one he will no longer tolerate from fans.
“I don’t want to even bring my kids to the game because I don’t want my kids to hear their dad getting called names,” he explained. “Right now, she’s [Nina] reached a point and my family have reached a point where it’s really weighing on them.”
While many fans speculate that Westbrook’s feelings towards the harassment are just scapegoats to cover for a lackluster season, the athlete maintains that his only concern is the safety and wellbeing of his family.
“I’ve kind of let it go in the past because it never really bothered me. But it really kind of hit me the other day. Me and my wife were at teacher-parent conferences for my son. And the teacher told me, ‘Noah, he’s so proud of his last name. He writes it everywhere. He writes it on everything. He tells everybody and walks around and says, ‘I’m Westbrook.’ And I kind of sat there in shock, and it hit me, like, ‘Damn.’”
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