Aaron Gordon defends Russell Westbrook over ‘pointless and unnecessary’ ESPN article

After leading the series 2-1, the Denver Nuggets are now on the brink of elimination against the Oklahoma Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals.

Following their Game 5 loss Tuesday, Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon began his postgame discussion not by commenting on the game’s outcome but rather on the contents of a recent ESPN article.

Before the game, ESPN’s Ramona Shelbourne published a piece titled “Why the Nuggets’ title hopes might hinge on the most volatile player in the NBA,” referencing star point guard Russell Westbrook.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

Nuggets lost Game 2 of their first-round series against the Clippers, Adelman had a problem.

While he’d been at the postgame lectern, there’d been a heated discussion between Westbrook and Gordon in the locker room, multiple sources told ESPN. Gordon had challenged Westbrook about his attitude.

Outside the locker room, one player relayed why Gordon might’ve done so.

“He’s so immature,” he said of Westbrook.

When approached by reporters following the loss, Gordon pivoted away from the game and instead offered his thoughts on the article, including his feelings about Westbrook.

Asked Aaron Gordon about the game and he just went OFF on the @espn article that cast Russell Westbrook as a bad teammate.

Listen: pic.twitter.com/eXh3bzb4KQ

— Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi) May 14, 2025

“Really, I don’t feel like talking about the game,” he said. “Earlier I caught wind of an article that came out about Russell Westbrook and our locker room after Game 2, which was a completely arbitrary article and pointless and unnecessary. Russ is one of the most talented basketball players that has ever played the game of basketball. And quite frankly, he’s been great for us all year long. We’re brothers, we spend more time with our team than we do with our family. Of course, there’s going to be disagreements. But that conversation wasn’t for anybody other than our own group and the internal workings of our locker room.

“That article is just so arbitrary and so far from the truth. Russ has been amazing for us. Not only is he a great basketball player, but he’s an even better human being.”

Gordon, Westbrook, and the rest of the Nuggets will have the chance to prove just how cohesive a unit they can be when they fight to stave off elimination on Thursday night in Game 6.