Russell Westbrook is getting into it once again with a longtime adversary — the media.
The Denver Nuggets guard Westbrook had several consecutive instances last week of leaving after games without speaking to reporters.
It began last Tuesday when Westbrook cost the Nuggets in their double-overtime affair against the Minnesota Timberwolves with a missed layup followed by a foul on a three-point shooter that led directly to Denver losing. Westbrook didn’t speak with the media after that game and also didn’t speak to them after games on Wednesday against San Antonio and Friday against Golden State (both losses for the Nuggets as well).
Denver then continued their losing streak on Sunday night against the Indiana Pacers, falling 125-120. But lo and behold, Westbrook finally made himself available to reporters after that one. Darren McKee of Altitude Sports reported though that it was only because Westbrook was “required to be available by the league.”
The video that McKee shared of Westbrook’s ensuing media session created an even worse look for the former NBA MVP. He only met with reporters for about a minute and answered almost every single question with some variation of “I’m not sure” or “I don’t know” (all while having what appeared to be a smirk on his face).
Westbrook, now 36, has openly disdained the media for much of his NBA career. Back when he was still on the Oklahoma City Thunder, Westbrook would regularly blow off postgame press conferences by responding with “next question” or another antagonistic reply (especially when it came to one particular reporter). Then in more recent years, especially during his failed stint with the Los Angeles Lakers, Westbrook came under fire for more disrespectful behavior during his media sessions.
The Nuggets, whom Westbrook is in his first season with, have now lost seven of their last 10 games and are just half a game away from falling into the play-in tournament zone in the Western Conference. Westbrook’s numbers this season (13.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.2 assists per game on 45/33/64 shooting splits) haven’t been all that bad. But his attitude problems as well as his tendency to make mistakes at ill-advised times are all just a part of who Westbrook is at this point.
