Russell Westbrook meant it when he said he would call out anyone shaming his name.
The star Clippers guard got right into a heated exchange with a Hornets fan, who allegedly heckled him courtside during Sunday’s game on the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, in keeping with video circulating on social media.
“That’s my family name. Respect that,” Westbrook said, in keeping with The Every day Mail. “I got kids, don’t disrespect my name. You understand?
“Do you understand? I don’t give a f–k, do you understand me?”
The Hornets fan, who was wearing a Charlotte jersey and a balloon hat, allegedly chirped at Westbrook throughout the first half of what was a 130-118 Clippers win.
It’s unclear what exactly began the exchange and if the fan was faraway from the sector.
Westbrook finished Sunday’s contest with 11 points, five rebounds and 4 assists.
The incident comes months after the veteran point guard confronted a Timberwolves fan who heckled him during warmups before a game in January.
Westbrook previously said he’s handled heckling his entire profession, but things had gotten “so bad” in March 2022 that he addressed the matter publicly when he was taunted with the “Westbrick” nickname during his time with the Lakers.
The previous NBA MVP, who was putting up historically poor offensive numbers on the time, vowed to confront anyone heckling him in regards to the “Westbrick” moniker after his wife, Nina, said their family was getting “death wishes” amid his scoring slump.
“A whole lot of times I let it slide, however it’s now time to place a spot to that and put it on notice,” Westbrook said. “… It’s really the shaming of my name, the shaming of my character, the shaming of who I’m as an individual to me just isn’t warranted. I haven’t done anything to anyone… I haven’t done anything but play basketball, a way that folks may not like.
“… Once it starts affecting my family, my wife, my mom… it affects them even going to games. I don’t even wish to bring my the children [Noah, 5, and 3-year-old twin daughters Jordyn and Skye] to the sport because I don’t want them to listen to people calling their dad nicknames and out of his name for no reason because he’s playing the sport he loves… And it’s super upsetting to me. I’m at some extent where I’m going to proceed to deal with it. It’s just unlucky.”
The Clippers (47-27) are focused on making a deep playoff run after last 12 months’s first-round ouster by the Suns.
They’re currently within the No. 4 spot within the Western Conference.
The 2024 NBA Playoffs begin April 20 after the Play-In Tournament from April 16-19.
