UPDATED 3/8, 12:27 a.m. ET: Russell Westbrook spoke about his wife Nina’s recent comments and the hate he and his family have received on Monday night.
“I 100% stand behind my wife and... it’s not just about this year,” Russell said. “Right now, she’s reached a point and my family has reached a point to where it’s really weighing on them and it’s very unfortunate just for me personally because this is just a game. This is not end all be all. 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.”
See original story below.
Russell Westbrook’s wife Nina posted a series of tweets Monday, revealing she’s been “harassed on a daily basis” and received death threats.
“It’s very important to understand the difference between name calling and ‘telling one’s truth.’ It’s even more important when you have a platform and a network to share your ‘truths’ with millions of people,” Westbrook wrote. “It requires a certain level of responsibility.” Her remarks appear to be an extension of a recent incident involving her and FS1’s Skip and Shannon: Undisputedpersonality Skip Bayless in which she called him out for criticizing Russell on his show and blocking her on Twitter.
In his response, Skip said he never blocked Nina and never will, adding, “I welcome your criticism and appreciate your defending your husband. But I will continue to tell the truth as I see it.”
While she never specifically mentions Bayless, Westbrook’s comment could be applicable to any talking head who has used their platform to criticize the Lakers star.
“When I’m being harassed on a daily basis over basketball games, and I’m having obscenities 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 wrote.
“I don’t do the things that I do to receive attention, to get clicks, or for show,” she continued. “This is not a game to me. Basketball is a game. This is my life, my children’s lives, and my families’ life. Shaming anyone for any reason is never the answer.”
The Lakers currently sit in 9th place in the Western Conference with a 28-35 record. Westbrook has been treated by many as one of the reason’s for the team’s struggles, despite averaging 18.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and a steal per game this season.
You can read her tweets in below.
