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Mitt Romney taunts Russell Westbrook during Thunder loss

By Alex Butler
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook. File photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook. File photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo

April 24 (UPI) -- Utah Senate candidate Mitt Romney gave Russell Westbrook the business while sitting court side, heckling the Oklahoma City Thunder star for racking up fouls against the Utah Jazz.

Romney talked the trash during the Thunder's 113-96 loss to the Jazz Monday at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah.

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Westbrook dealt with foul trouble early on in the contest, due to his overly-aggressive defensive tactics. He earned his fourth foul of the game with 1:36 remaining in the second quarter. Jazz fans became boisterous when they realized that the 2016-2017 NBA MVP was in foul trouble.

Romney, 71, was among those Jazz supporters screaming at the superstar. He also held up four fingers, symbolizing the number of fouls Westbrook had collected against the Jazz. NBA rules stipulate that if a player commits six fouls, they are ineligible to return to the court. Westbrook finished the night with five infractions.

The former Massachusetts governor and GOP presidential candidate wore a No. 5 Jazz jersey over a buttoned-down dress shirt during the game. The customized jersey had "Romney" stitched on the rear nameplate. Romney sat just behind the press row.

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Romney previously supported the Boston Celtics when he was governor of Massachusetts.

The Republican politician was forced into a primary election against Rep. Mike Kennedy in Utah's Senate race after he failed to gather the votes necessary at the Utah Republican Convention to clinch an outright nomination.

Westbrook scored 23 points and had 14 rebounds and three steals in the loss. The Thunder host Game 5 of the Western Conference playoff series at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Okla. Utah holds a 3-1 lead in the series.

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