Russell Westbrook’s wife, Nina, lashed out at an ESPN reporter for calling the point guard “a blood-sucking vampire.”
LA Lakers finally got rid of Russell Westbrook this trade season. The point guard’s association with the Lakers has been nothing but a painful journey. In 1.5 years, Westbrook faced immense criticism after refusing to alter his playing style in order to fit in with the lineup. Moreover, his tactics did not help the Lakers in the winning cause. Hence, the front office made up its mind to trade Westbrook as soon as possible.
The front office tried to trade Russell Westbrook to Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Kyrie Irving after the latter asked the Nets for a trade. Hence, the purple and gold put Westbrook on the table and approached the Nets with an offer, which the club bluntly rejected. In the end, Irving landed with the Mavericks. Lastly, at the end of the trade deadline, the Lakers traded Russell in a three-team trade deal. However, the bad blood’s still there and is widely visible.
Lakers Call Westbrook A “Vampire,” His Wife Hits Back
Lakers and Russell Westbrook’s breakup has taken an ugly turn, with both parties taking digs at each other. However, a Lakers insider decided to take it a step further. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin quoted a Lakers locker room source and said people from the Lakers camp called Westbrook a blood-sucking “vampire.” The personal statement did not go down well with the point guard’s wife, who later clapped back.
Nina called out ESPN on Instagram for making a nasty statement just to garner publicity. She later claimed that anyone with inside access to the whole situation knows the real truth. This statement hinted at friction between Russell Westbrook and the other fraction of the players in the locker room. Reports came in that certain players within the Lakers called out Westbrook for failed Kyrie Irving trade and singled him out. Nina later added that these kinds of statements are taking a toll on her five-year-old kid, who gets bullied at school due to such nasty comments.
“This is slander because anyone who knows anything knows that this couldn’t be further from the truth,” said Russell Westbrook’s wife, Nina.
Russell Westbrook Finds Support From NBA Colleagues
The vampire comment has received massive backlash. The fans, critics, and NBA players have lent their support to the point guard. Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum reminded the fans of Westbrook’s stature by sharing a post filled with the point guard’s achievements. Furthermore, Clippers forward Robert Covington spoke highly of Westbrook and said he is the best teammate he ever had to play with.
Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook’s stay at the Utah Jazz could be short-lived as the club is all set to buy him out. Moreover, both parties are likely to reach a mutual agreement soon. Hence, Westbrook will move to free agency next season. Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, and LA Clippers have shown reasonable interest in acquiring the point guard for the upcoming season.