Russell Westbrook is not known to be in advanced negotiations with Hapoel Tel Aviv. The report suggesting otherwise was a social media hoax.
The false claim originated with an X account presenting itself as basketball reporter “Marc Jacobs.” The account asserted that Westbrook and Hapoel had mutual interest, that negotiations were progressing and that the former MVP was seriously considering playing overseas.
Russell Westbrook looks on during the Kia WNBA Skills Challenge. NBAE via Getty Images
It attributed the information to The Athletic, but no corresponding report from the outlet supported those claims. Journalist Philip Lewis subsequently identified the purported source as a parody account.
The Jerusalem Post published an article based on the post, elevating the claim from “mutual interest” to “advanced talks.” ClutchPoints insider Brett Siegel could not corroborate it.
There is currently no credible evidence that Westbrook is negotiating with Hapoel Tel Aviv. No agreement has been announced, and the Israeli club has not confirmed talks with the 37-year-old guard.
The episode made Westbrook the latest athlete caught in a growing ecosystem of sports misinformation on X. Parody accounts increasingly imitate the names, profile pictures and posting styles of established insiders, allowing fabricated reports to appear legitimate to users scrolling quickly.
Accounts such as “NBA Centel” and “SharmsCharania” have built large followings through fictional basketball reports designed to resemble breaking news. Other fake insiders have produced fabricated coaching comments, roster moves and front-office changes that were subsequently repeated by aggregators and media outlets.
The incentive extends beyond the amusement of going viral. Front Office Sports has documented how X’s engagement-based monetization can financially reward accounts for generating viral misinformation. Awful Announcing also reported that some fake insider accounts have promoted prediction markets alongside invented scoops.
Russell Westbrook is not known to be in advanced negotiations with Hapoel Tel Aviv. The report suggesting otherwise was a social media hoax. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
Westbrook’s unresolved free agency made this particular fabrication believable.
The former Lakers star remains unsigned after averaging 15.2 points, 6.7 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals with Sacramento last season. He encountered another quiet market in 2025 before joining the Kings on a one-year contract shortly before opening night.
His next destination remains uncertain. An impending move to Tel Aviv, however, is not among the possibilities.
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