Montrezl Harrell Finally Breaks His Silence
So, let me walk you through this story because it’s one of the most emotional and complicated sagas the NBL has seen in a long time. Montrezl Harrell — yes, the former NBA Sixth Man of the Year and one of the most dominant imports Adelaide has had — has finally opened up about what really happened behind the scenes with the 36ers. And hearing it in his own words, you can tell the pain is still fresh.
Harrell sat down with Jason Cadee on the latest episode of Cut to the Jase , and the conversation quickly turned into a raw, honest unpacking of everything that unfolded. He talked about how much Adelaide meant to him, how the city and the fans helped him rediscover his love for basketball after a tough ACL injury. Last season, he averaged over 20 points and nearly 10 rebounds a game. He made the All-NBL Second Team. He poured everything into that club. And yet, he says the way things ended left him stunned.
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According to Harrell, his contract was suddenly terminated by the 36ers because of complications tied to a positive marijuana test from his time in China — a situation he insists was mishandled from almost every angle. He explained that he actually has a doctor’s certificate for medical marijuana, and more importantly, he was never notified directly by Chinese authorities. Not an email, not a call, nothing. Even his agent didn’t receive any official communication. The only time the issue resurfaced was when he was already back in Adelaide, practicing with the team and preparing for the season.
What made it worse, he said, was learning that someone in China had apparently been speaking to a person they believed was him — which he insists was impossible. He still has no idea who that person was. That mix-up, plus the lack of direct communication, reportedly caused his suspension to blow out to three months instead of the typical one-month penalty others received for the same substance.
Harrell didn’t hide his frustration when describing how the 36ers handled the fallout. The club sent his agent a termination letter and — as he put it — gave him a deadline on the same day, essentially telling him to sign or be cut anyway. Meanwhile, someone else was signed to replace him almost immediately. For a player who says he stood up for the team, took suspensions for his teammates, and gave them everything he had, it felt like a betrayal.
But despite the hurt, he still spoke with love for the NBL. He even joked that he watches more NBL games than NBA games these days. He wants to return next season. He still wants success for the 36ers. Even with everything that went down, that connection hasn’t disappeared.
What we got in this interview wasn’t drama — it was clarity. It was a player finally telling his side, openly, honestly, and without bitterness toward the game or the fans. And it’s clear Montrezl Harrell’s NBL story isn’t done yet.
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