One of the biggest stories in the NBA in recent days has been Russell Westbrook’s wife, Nina Westbrook, calling out Skip Bayless and other people that have sent threats and other such hate towards her family. Russell’s game on the court for the Lakers has left a lot to be desired but none of that warrants the sort of vitriol that Westbrook has been on the receiving end of from some fans online. It’s gotten so bad that Russ says he doesn’t even want to bring his family to home games anymore.
Nina Westbrook revealed in a series of tweets that her family has been harassed and subjected to death threats, something that no player or their family should ever have to go through. However, she came out of the other side sending a message of compassion and expressing her desire to ensure that no players that are coming into the league are subjected to something similar.
My hope is that the amazing and talented players that come after him don’t have to be subjected to this type of shaming, name-calling, and public scrutiny for playing the game that they love.
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— Nina Westbrook (@ninawestbrook) March 7, 2022
This came after she said that while Russ doesn’t need her or anyone else to defend him against the constant criticism, she merely wanted to speak up for others that go through something similar but do not have a voice to share the pain they go through.
As far as my husband goes, he is his own person. I don’t need to defend him. I love and support him through all of the unwarranted hate and negativity that he receives. I speak up and share my experience and knowledge for those who do not have a voice.
— Nina Westbrook (@ninawestbrook) March 7, 2022
Also, to the many that responded to her tweets suggesting that she was doing this for the attention or for likes, she had another message where she explained that while basketball may just be a game, the wellbeing of her family was not a game to her.
I don’t do the things that I do to receive attention, to get clicks, or for show. 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.
— Nina Westbrook (@ninawestbrook) March 7, 2022
This is a powerful message that often gets lost in the modern age of social media, with many critics on television sometimes riling up the legions of emotional fans that then descend to needless levels in their criticism of a player they perceive to be hurting their team. Any amount of money or status can’t protect the players or their families from hurtful words and while most fans understand that, those that do not need to be held accountable for their words and the damage they cause.
