Russell Westbrook Wife Receives Death Threat From Angry Sports Bettor

The family of NBA veteran Russell Westbrook publicly addressed another instance of harassment linked to a sports betting loss, highlighting growing tension between athletes and frustrated bettors.

Good to Know

• Nina Westbrook revealed a message that wished harm on her family after a lost player prop bet.
• Family says harassment from bettors has become routine over time.
• Incident adds to wider conversation about risks tied to rapid expansion of legalized sports wagering.

Russell Westbrook and the Sacramento Kings returned to action Thursday against the Orlando Magic following the All Star break. The former MVP scored five points while shooting 2 for 8 in a 131 to 94 defeat, a result that triggered an angry response from an individual identified as Joel Molina.

Nina Westbrook shared a screenshot of the email on Instagram later that night. The message included violent language directed at her and family members after the bettor failed to win a wager tied to player performance.

She captioned the image, “The negative effects of sports betting. Brings out the worst in ppl smh.”

Conversation did not end with the initial post. Early Friday morning, Nina Westbrook followed with another statement explaining that similar behavior has happened before and continues to worry her family.

“Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident,” she wrote. “It’s something my husband and I consider routine. With that said, I’m sharing this now because I’m growing increasingly concerned for athletes.

“Gambling is a highly addictive behavior, and people should understand the risks associated with it, especially before introducing it to their children. I don’t claim to have all the answers, but the threatening behavior directed toward athletes and their families after games has proven to be one of the early results of amped up sports betting.”