Russell Westbrook chats with fans late after the Clippers’ loss
LOS ANGELES — Russell Westbrook said he won’t tolerate fans saying anything personal about him or his family after he ended up having a heated exchange with a fan LA Clippers‘ 113-104 defeat to the understaffed Denver Nuggets on Monday evening.
With 30 seconds left and the Nuggets leading 113-102, the Clippers inbounded the ball while Westbrook stood at midcourt talking to a fan sitting behind the courtside seats.
“I mean, it’s unfortunate,” Westbrook said after the Clippers suffered a frustrating loss to a Nuggets team that played without Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray And Aaron Gordon. “The fans think they can say whatever they want. I won’t say that.” [what was said] Now because it’s not appropriate, but I’m just protecting myself.
“It’s just unfortunate that fans think they can get away with saying something and personally I won’t let that happen. I have that.” [taken] A lot of people say something and get away with it, but I won’t tolerate that.”
Referee Lauren Holtkamp stood in front of Westbrook to make sure nothing happened during the game. But after the buzzer sounded at the end of the game, Westbrook returned to midfield, where fans appeared to point at the Clippers’ point guard.
Holtkamp, Nuggets guard Justin HolidayClippers security and arena security, along with Westbrook’s Clippers teammate Daniel Theiseveryone stopped by to make sure tensions didn’t escalate.
Last season during the first-round playoff series between the Clippers and to sunbathe In Phoenix, a verbal altercation broke out between Westbrook and a Suns fan as the players took a shortcut through a club area from the locker room to get to the field.
When Westbrook was at the Washington Wizards in May 2021, A fan threw him popcorn at a playoff game in Philadelphia as he left the field after sustaining a right ankle injury. Westbrook had to be restrained by Wizards staff and arena security.
And in 2019 A fan in Utah received a lifetime ban from the then Vivint Smart Home Arena after a verbal altercation with Westbrook while he was at the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“I understand that the fans are enjoying the game and are ready for whatever that may be,” Westbrook said. “I guess they feel like they can kind of say anything, but that’s our job… all the negative comments about the family and things like that I would kind of avoid. But everything else they can say somehow. “They want.”
Westbrook reiterated that he would not stand by as fans verbally attacked him or his family.
“Now that I have kids, I understand how important it is, not just myself, but my last name,” Westbrook said. “Understanding what Westbrook means, understanding how important this is to my father, my grandfather, my family. It is very important. It’s something I stand for and the respect is something I value.”
“The moment that line is crossed, I will not allow it [it] no longer. I’ve stood for this for years, and now my son is old enough to know what’s going on and asks me, ‘Hey dad, what does that mean?’ Now I have to stand by it, and no matter where I am and what’s going on, I’ll always stick with it.
