Nina Westbrook is furious with ESPN.
After the Lakers traded Russell Westbrook to the Jazz on Wednesday, his wife ripped a report by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, who claimed a source told him that Westbrook was “a vampire” in the locker room.
On Thursday, Nina denied the report in an Instagram comment under a post by NBA on ESPN, which included a clip of McMenamin discussing the Westbrook trade.
“This is just sick ESPN… Russell is no vampire,” Nina wrote, according to screen-grabs on social media. “This also slander because anyone who knows anything knows that this couldn’t be further from the truth.
“On a personal note, I have school aged children who have to listen to their peers repeat the nasty things that you guys say on television about their father. I guess I will prepare myself to explain to my 5 year old that his dad is not actually a vampire and that major news outlets only say things like that to get attention.”
The couple has twin daughters, Jordyn and Skye, 4, and son Noah, 5.
Nina tagged McMenamin and ESPN in her comment.
“As one source told me, you remove a vampire from the locker room,” McMenamin said Thursday on ESPN’s “NBA Today” trade deadline special. “That meaning, a vampire sucks the blood out of the locker room. Russell Westbrook moves on.”
NBA players, including All-Star guards Chris Paul (Suns) and Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers), also sounded off in the comments section.
“Put a name on it…,” Paul wrote, seemingly referring to McMenamin’s source, while Mitchell added, “Stop it.”
Carmelo Anthony, who’s been a free agent since the end of the 2021-22 season and last played for the Lakers, asked, “Whose the source?”
Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens chimed in and took a jab at Skip Bayless.
“These ‘sources’ NEED to be identified if you’re going on air and DEFAME us athletes!!” Owens wrote. “Statements like this is what adds to the HATE of players because take these ‘statements from said sources’ to be the gospel!!!!! @skipbayless was NOTORIOUS for this and mainly the reason have the perceptions they have about me!!!”
The Lakers sent Westbrook to the Jazz in a complex three-team trade with the Timberwolves and Jazz on the night before Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET NBA trade deadline.
In the deal, the Lakers got point guard D’Angelo Russell, guard Malik Beasley and forward Jarred Vanderbilt from Minnesota, who acquired guards Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker and draft picks from the Jazz.
In addition to Westbrook, the Jazz got forward Juan Toscano-Anderson, center Damian Jones and a 2027 Lakers first-round pick. If the Lakers’ pick to the Jazz falls into the top four when the time comes, the pick will automatically change to a 2027 second-round pick, according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe.
Prior to the trade, Westbrook reportedly got into a heated verbal exchange with Lakers coach Darvin Ham following a 133-130 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.
