- Westbrook was seen talking in a serious tone with a Hornets fan on the court
- Fans remembered when the star explained his reasons for defending his name
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Los Angeles Clippers star Russell Westbrook was seen in a heated argument with a courtside fan during a game between the Clips and the Charlotte Hornets.
It’s not clear what started the standoff, but whatever it was, it was related to someone making fun of Westbrook’s name.
That set off the 2017 league MVP by walking up to the fan and berating him.
‘That’s my last name. Respect that,” Westbrook began. ‘I have children, don’t respect my name. You understand?
‘Do you understand? I don’t care, do you understand me?’
Clippers star Russell Westbrook was seen berating a Hornets fan for ‘disrespecting his name’
Westbrook would drop 11 points in just 20 minutes of playing time to earn a big win
After this incident occurred, some fans thought back to earlier this season when reporters asked him if he was disrespecting his name.
“I tell people, Man, when I first started competing, maybe not that much. I used to get a bit into it.
“But now that I have kids and understand how important it is, not just my son, but my last name, understand what Westbrook means, understand how important that is to my father, my grandfather, my family. It’s very important.
“It’s something I support, and the respect is something I appreciate. So once that line is crossed, I won’t allow it anymore.
“I’ve been in front of it for years, and now my son is old enough to know what’s going on and understand, Hey, what does that mean? What is that?
“Now I have to step on it, and we’ve gotten us to where I am now, what’s going on. I’m always working on that.’
Westbrook went on to score 11 points, five rebounds and four assists in just 20 minutes of playing time in the Clippers’ 130–118 victory. Teammate Paul George dropped a whopping 41 points in the win.