It’s been a tough year for Los Angeles Lakers fans but it’s been even worse for Russell Westbrook and his family. He’s been on the wrong end of the media throughout the whole season and clearly isn’t enjoying his homecoming.
Westbrook has always been a polarizing player and his attitude towards criticism hasn’t done much to help his case. Then again, fans are using him as the fall guy and blaming him for everything the Lakers have done wrong this season, and that’s not fair.
It’s gotten up to the point where Russell Westbrook’s wife Nina had to take to social media to raise awareness on their situation. Apparently, they’ve gotten death wishes and death threats and are being constantly harassed by Lakers fans.
Russsell Westbrook’s Wife Says They’ve Gotten Death Wishes
“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 tweeted.
Westbrook Says His Family Doesn’t Want To Go To Games Anymore
When asked about it, the former MVP stood by his wife words and opened up on how people have blown everything out of proportion:
“I 100% stand behind my wife and how she’s feeling because — it’s not just about this year — right now, she’s reached a point, and my family has reached a point, to where it’s really weighing on them,” Westbrook admitted.
“And it’s very unfortunate, just for me personally, because this is just a game,” he added. “This is just a game. This is not end-all, be-all. And when it comes to basketball, I don’t mind the criticism of missing and making shots, but the moment where my name is getting shamed, it becomes an issue.”
Westbrook Doesn’t Want People Calling Him ‘Westbrick’ Anymore
Moreover, Westbrook stated how the ‘Westbrick’ nickname never bothered him in the past. But now, he just doesn’t want his son to hear it because it could be shameful:
“I’ve kind of let it go in the past because it never really bothered me. But, it really kinda hit me the other day,” Westbrook added. “Honestly, me and my wife were at a teacher-parent conference for my son. And the teacher told me, she’s like, ‘Noah, he’s so proud of his name. He writes it everywhere. He writes it on everything. He tells everybody, he walks around and says ‘I’m Westbrook, Westbrook!’. And I kinda sat there in shock, and it hit me like, ‘Damn, I can no longer allow people — for example, ‘Westbrick’, is now shaming.”
“It’s shaming my name, my legacy for my kids,” he explained.“It’s a name that means more not just to me, but to my wife, to my mom, my dad, the ones that kind of paved the way for me. And that’s just one example. That kinda hit myself and my wife in a place where — it’s not great man. I think a lot of times I let it slide, but it’s now time to put a stop to that and put it on notice. Like, there’s a difference. And we need to make sure that it’s understood. And every time I do hear it now I will make sure that I address it and make sure that I nip that in the bud.”
At the end of the day, you may or may not like Westbrook as a player or as a person. But being a fan doesn’t entitle you to cross these kinds of lines.
