Getty Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook.
The Los Angeles Lakers face the Toronto Raptors in Canada on March 18, but it looks like the team got to Toronto on March 17 since a video has gone viral of Russell Westbrook getting into a heated argument with a fan downtown during the evening.
Westbrook, who has been called “Westbrick” this season by hecklers, is heard telling the Toronto fan, “Don’t play with me. I ain’t no little kid.”
Russ getting harassed by a Raptors fan smh
Westbrook has struggled for the Lakers this season. He’s averaging 17.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.0 assists while shooting 43.2% from the field, 27.7% from beyond the arc and 67.0% from the free-throw line. The one-time MVP leads the NBA in turnovers and has a plus-minus of -148.
Even though Westbrook has played poorly, it doesn’t give people the right to harass him in public. Athletes are human and have feelings too and this fan should be ashamed of himself for heckling Westbrook, who is clearly tired of being mocked.
Westbrook Speaks out About Harassment Family Has Been Subject To
Westbrook spoke about the harassment he and his family have dealt with this season after the Lakers lost to the San Antonio Spurs on March 8. The nine-time All-Star doesn’t understand why people are attacking him over basketball.
It’s also worth mentioning that Westbrook’s wife, Nina, received death wishes on social media.
“I 100 percent stand behind my wife and how she’s feeling,” Westbrook said. “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.”
During the same press conference, Westbrook also emotionally talked about why the “Westbrick” nickname is insulting.
“Westbrick for example, to me, is now shaming,” Westbrook said “It’s shaming my name, my legacy for my kids. It’s a name that means, not just to me, but to my wife, to my mom, my dad, the ones that kind of paved the way for me.”
Fans aren’t the only ones taunting Westbrook this season. During the Lakers’ loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 16, the future Hall of Famer got disrespected by Karl-Anthony Towns and Patrick Beverley.
Beverley, Towns Trolled Westbrook
Beverley called Westbrook “trash” in the Lakers-Timberwolves game, while Towns made fun of Westbrook after the Lakers guard air-balled a 3-pointer.
When he was asked to react to Beverley and Towns’ antics, Westbrook said, “Nobody over there has done anything in this league that would make me pick my eyes up, like, ‘Oh, they’re talking mess. Let me respond.’ No. It’s fine. They’re good. They won the game. Happy for them. Move onto the next one.”
It’s been a disastrous season for Westbrook and the Lakers, who are in ninth place in the Western Conference standings. The two sides need to move on from each other in the summer because it’s evident that Westbrook doesn’t fit well with LeBron James and Anthony Davis and he is getting trolled too much, both on and off the court, and it could affect his mental health.
Westbrook needs to get traded to a team where he’s the primary ball-handler. It will be interesting to see which teams are interested in his services this offseason.