Nina Westbrook, the wife of NBA star Russell Westbrook, was born to parents Michael Earl and Jennifer Lyons as the eldest of four kids.
An entrepreneur and former basketball player, Nina Westbrook, was raised in a supportive environment alongside his three siblings, Michael, Jonathan, and Benjamin.
While not much is known about Michael and Jennifer, Nina Westbrook has openly discussed her parents in several verified public interviews and features, drawing on her experiences growing up to inform her work as a therapist and entrepreneur.
In a 2024 feature interview with Sweet July magazine titled “Get To Know: Nina Westbrook,” she reflected on her unexpected path to entrepreneurship.
During the interview, she also contrasted her parents’ approaches to her, saying:
Growing up, my dad was a serial entrepreneur. He had so many businesses, restaurants, pager stores (remember pager stores?), all types of different businesses. And he was constantly on-the-go, stressed out, trying to manage it all. Whereas my mom, she went to medical school, she became a PA, she had a very structured, calm type of experience.
Nina Westbrook
She added, “And I think I learned those skills from both of my parents. My mom was a single mom. And I have three siblings. Raising four kids, she went back to school medical school to provide a better life for us. My dad was constantly working and trying to provide a better life for us as well.”
Likewise, in a 2020 exclusive interview with E! News titled “Outside the NBA Bubble: Nina Westbrook Reveals Her Trick For Staying Close With Husband Russell Westbrook,” she mentioned family support during the NBA bubble separation, noting her mother’s involvement:
Nina’s [support system] is comprised of her mom Jennifer Lyons, Russell’s mom Shannon Westbrook and their combined four brothers. ‘We have been blessed to have our family around to be able to help,’ she noted.”
Nina Westbrook
In a profile and interview with Mother Mag (date approximate early 2020s), Nina shared details about her upbringing and parents’ divorce:
My mother was always stressing the importance of education, and leading by example. She recently retired from her career as a physician’s assistant at King Drew Medical Center where she spent the majority of her career. My parents divorced when I was around my son Noah’s age.”
Nina Westbrook
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Nina is a former athlete; she played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins.
- She is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT).
