Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook gives a quote. By Cindy Boren Cindy Boren Reporter covering sports, with an emphasis on politics and national stories Email Bio Follow April 22 at 9:10 AM Oklahoma Thunder star Russell Westbrook’s attitude toward the media has ranged over the years from openly cantankerous to merely cool, but Steve Kerr believes Westbrook’s frequent “next question” approach is “dangerous for the league.
Westbrook’s teammate Paul George borrowed the “next question” gimmick after the Thunder’s loss to Portland in Game 3 of their playoff series Friday night. Kerr pointed out that frostiness between media and athletes is nothing new — and neither is the lack of imagination in some reporters’ questions — but Kerr described a landscape that has changed because of social media and unlimited access to players.
Tramel and Westbrook have a history, one that perhaps is exacerbated by the easy familiarity that can develop between reporters and athletes in small media markets. In a recent Oklahoman column, Tramel promised to continue asking questions “with no hope of getting an answer, because the media shouldn’t give in to Westbrook’s desire to control everything.
Racist
It’s horrible example to set for kids. Terrible role model.
Russell Westbrook, like former teammate KD, is an ass. talent does't make up for that
The only person whose treatment of the media is 'dangerous' is the man currently inhabiting 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue... An NBA player refusing to answer questions from a specific journalist isn't that deep.