Russell Westbrook has struggled in his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers. Although he’s putting up solid per-game numbers of 18.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.2 assists, the one-time MVP leads the NBA in turnovers and is shooting only 28.2% from beyond the arc and 67.0% from the free-throw line.
Westbrook has been booed by Lakers fans at home games. His wife has also received death wishes on social media. The Lakers are in ninth place in the Western Conference standings and Westbrook has been the poster boy for the team’s struggles since he’s the highest-paid player on the roster.
Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry knows Westbrook pretty well. They have played on several All-Star teams together and faced off in the playoffs numerous times. Curry, who has a wife and three kids like Westbrook, publicly supported the Lakers star in an interview with Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports for how he’s handled the 2021-22 season.
“I told him when we played them in L.A. a couple of days ago that I respect how he’s handled the whole year, just in terms of everything he’s been saying and how he’s been handling himself and protecting his family,” Curry told Yahoo Sports. “It is the nature of the beast. And in a certain perspective, they build you up to break you down. The real ones who have done amazing things in this league know what that means. He’s a professional, and I’m proud of the way he’s conducting himself, and I’m there for him.”
Westbrook’s wife, Nina, went on social media to defend her husband after she received death threats and fans called the Lakers guard “Russell Westbrick.” Westbrook said he won’t allow fans to shame his name anymore and Curry thinks the “Westbrick” taunts are crossing the line.
Curry: ‘It Is Kind of B.S. When It Crosses the Line’
Curry believes the fans who are shaming Westbrook’s name have no place in the NBA. After all, basketball is just a game.
“The fan perspective, it is kind of B.S. when it crosses the line in terms of attacking somebody personally, their name, and not keeping it to just basketball,” Curry told Yahoo Sports. “That’s why we’re all here is because of basketball. But at the end of the day, you have to do what you have to do to speak up for yourself and also understand that the guys that know what’s going on in this league respect the type of player he is. Russ definitely has my support.”
Things have gotten so bad for Westbrook in Los Angeles that his wife and kids don’t come to home games. The future Hall of Famer doesn’t want his family to be uncomfortable at Crypto.com Arena, which is sad since Westbrook is from California and a model citizen.
Westbrook: ‘I Don’t Even Want to Bring My Kids to the Game’
Westbrook has three kids: 4-year-old Noah and twin 3-year-old daughters, Jordyn and Skye. His beautiful children don’t come to Crypto.com Arena since their dad doesn’t think it’s a good environment for them.
“It affects them even going to games,” Westbrook said, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “Like, I don’t even want to bring my kids to the game because I don’t want them to hear people calling their dad nicknames and other names for no reason because he’s playing the game that he loves. And it’s gotten so bad where my family don’t even want to go to home games, to any game … and it’s just super unfortunate, man. And it’s super upsetting to me.”
Westbrook hasn’t shot the ball well for the Lakers this season. He’s a huge reason why the purple and gold are a putrid team.
However, that doesn’t give fans the right to shame his family name and send his wife death wishes.
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Warriors’ Stephen Curry Sounds off on Russell Westbrook’s Rocky Tenure with Lakers