Former NBA center Montrezl Harrell will commit further to his Australian basketball team, the Adelaide 36ers. The eight-year NBA veteran departed America earlier this year to continue his professional basketball playing career Down Under after his NBA prospects came up empty. Now, his time with the team just got a little bit longer.
Montrezl Harrell Staying with Australian Basketball Team
Former NBA Center Making an Impression with the 36ers
Harrell, former Los Angeles Clippers center of three seasons, has agreed with his Australian National Basketball League team, the Adelaide 36ers, to remain on the team for the remainder of their season. Harrell was initially signed to the team temporarily to help cover for one of the 36ers injured players. However, in his playing time, the former Clipper and Lakers player has played well enough to the point where the organization expressed the possibility of keeping the former NBA player permanently, or at least for the rest of the 2024-25 season. According to his agent, Darrell Comer, this is now a reality for Harrell.
In his first handful of games with the 36ers, Harrell is averaging 15.7 points and 10.3 rebounds. The former Clipper is contributing at a high enough level that the Adelaide organization appeared prompted to keep him around even after the player he is playing in place of, Jarell Martin, returns. The Adelaide organization is moving to make the proper roster adjustments to have both players on the team.
The deal allows Harrell to continue playing basketball, which can only be a good omen for him. Harrell’s options in the NBA had all but vanished. However, like several NBA players this off-season, he found another opportunity overseas, the Pacific, that is. Patrick Beverley, for example, left the league to play in the Middle East for Hapoel Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. Time will tell whether Harrell’s time in Adelaide progresses further than this current season. Perhaps following this season, the NBA will come calling again.
A Short but Respectable NBA Career
Harrell was never the most talented at his position. However, he did bring the energy, grit, and aggressiveness that all NBA teams need. While he was a Clipper, he and Beverley shared those duties. In Harrell’s 515 regular season games, he posted career averages of 12.1 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 61.9% from the field. His production was certainly consistent and impactful. His production was so impactful that he earned Sixth Man of the Year votes for four consecutive seasons from 2019-22. He won the honor in the 2019-20 season.
In Harrell’s final NBA season, 2022-23, the center/forward played with the 76ers. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL, accompanied by a medial meniscus tear. Those injuries combined forced Harrell to miss the entire 2023-24 season. The Sixers waived him mid-season. The Australian league finishes around February. If he continues his production and stays in good health, perhaps a contending NBA team will give him another chance stateside. Clearly, Harrell isn’t done playing basketball. Now that he’s healthy, why would he turn down another shot in the NBA?
