During a recent Clippers game in Charlotte, a fan wearing a Hornets jersey reportedly heckled Westbrook from courtside. Things got heated, and Westbrook reportedly responded by defending his family name and demanding respect according to a report by The Daily Mail.
“That’s my family name. Respect that,” Westbrook said. “I got kids, don’t disrespect my name. You understand? Do you understand? I don’t give a f–k, do you understand me?”
Russell Westbrook gets into an exchange with a fan
The heckler was chirping Russ in the first half pic.twitter.com/2vPSseXrUQ
— Jeremy Grandison (@JeremyGrandiso1) March 31, 2024
Russell Westbrook has been involved in a few confrontations with fans in the past.
In November 2023, Westbrook had a verbal altercation with a fan during a Clippers game against the Denver Nuggets. The fan yelled at Westbrook from the stands, and Westbrook engaged in a back-and-forth with him. He later commented that he wouldn’t tolerate disrespect.
A common way of taunting Russell involves fans replacing his last name “Westbrook” with “Westbrick,” often used when he has off-shooting nights. This gained traction during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers, with analyst Skip Bayless being a prominent user of the term. Westbrook has publicly called out such “name shaming” by fans and analysts, with his wife even defending him against Bayless’ criticism.
Coming to the game front, after a disappointing season with the Los Angeles Lakers, Russell was was traded again in 2023 to the Los Angeles Clippers. His role has shifted to a sixth-man option, coming off the bench to provide scoring and energy.
