The Sacramento Kings have been the subject of much ridicule this season, especially given their on-court struggles. The team is just 12-45 for the season. Unfortunately, that seems to be having repercussions on the players and their families, with veteran point guard Russell Westbrook and his wife, Nina, being the latest targets of such attacks from fans. Nina, for her part, has not been quiet about it.

Recently, after a game, Westbrook and her husband received a derogatory email from a member of the audience, leaving her feeling massively under scrutiny. Now, she has written an extremely emotional message on her Instagram story about these incidents.

“I’d like to express gratitude for the support I’ve received from so many of you,” Westbrook wrote. “Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. 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. ”

According to Nina, threats and extreme harassment have become a normalized part of life as the spouse of a polarizing athlete, but this time, she felt compelled to speak up because of a more dangerous trend.

Rather than framing the issue as simple fan anger, she connected it to the rapid expansion of legalized sports betting in the US, as well as the emotional volatility associated with losses or stars not meeting the money line.

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In recent years, athletes across professional sports have witnessed an increase in hostility from fans, with gambling-related harassment going up significantly as fans lash out when their wagers don’t hit.

According to a study commissioned by the NCAA last year, despite overall online abuse towards college athletes decreasing, betting-related abuse accounted for nearly 11% of about 4,000 messages observed by the study, which is more than double that of racial abuse or threats of violence.

Nina Westbrook Warns of Gambling’s Growing Psychological Toll

Nina Westbrook continued her statement, focusing on the topic not just as a spouse but through her professional lens.

“As an LMFT, I have a keen understanding of the psychological implications and dangers of sports betting and gambling,” she explained. “Gambling is a highly addictive behavior, and people should understand the risks associated with it, especially before introducing it to their children.”

She made it clear that she didn’t have all the answers, but that the threatening behavior directed at athletes and their families was a direct and immediate result of the increased focus on sports betting.

Russell Westbrook has long been one of the most polarizing figures in the NBA. He’s long confronted sideline fans for their disrespectful remarks, even speaking out in press conferences against derogatory comments made by hecklers about him and his family.

“A lot of times, I let it slide,” Westbrook, then with the Los Angeles Lakers, said back in 2022, per ESPN. “But now it’s time to put a stop to that and put it on notice. There’s a difference. We need to make sure it’s understood. And every time I do hear it now, I will make sure that I address it and make sure I nip that in the bud.”