Fans often see players' highlight reels filled with ferocious slam dunks and nifty ankle-breaking crossovers. They may even witness players do postgame interviews that detail their thoughts about the game they just competed in. Yet, fans seldom have the opportunity to truly understand the individual behind the jersey.
Such was the case of former Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell , who only had a brief eight-year career in the Association despite being a gifted scorer off the bench. However, he earned a reputation as someone with "baggage," which may have turned some teams off.
One incident that truly tarnished the 6-foot-7 forward's reputation came in the 2020 NBA Playoffs when he let his emotions get the best of him and threatened to knock his teammate Paul George out over a defensive miscommunication.
Made a mountain out of a molehill
In July 2020, Trez left the Clippers and the "Orlando Bubble" to be with his ailing grandmother. A few weeks later, his grandma passed away. The former Louisville product took the development hard as it was his grandmother who raised him to become the man he is today. However, he soon rejoined the Clippers, which, in hindsight, was something Trez said he shouldn't have done.
"I shoulda never went back to the Bubble, if you really wanna be truthful about it. Shoulda just stayed home and told them, 'Mentally, I can't give y'all what y'all need done. I can't. So, it's best that I stay home and grieve my grandma,'" Trez said in an essay in the Players' Tribune.
The Clippers made the playoffs that season and faced the Denver Nuggets in the second round. It was a high-intensity showdown, and the Clips' took a 3-1 lead. It was in one of those games that Trez and PG engaged in a verbal tussle. According to the power forward, the L.A. coaching staff had instructed them to switch everything. Apparently, that piece of information got lost on PG-13.
"In the game, the situation comes. It's in the pick-and-roll with PG, Jamal Murray, Jokic, and me. Screen comes, I yell, 'Switch!' We switch it. He still fights over the screen. Jokic slips down the middle of the lane — boom — shoots and gets the points. Doc calls a time-out just like that," Harrell narrated.
As the two players walked back to their bench, they began their back-and-forth regarding the previous defensive lapse. A few moments later, Trez had enough and blew his top.
"I said, 'It's a switch, bro. Everybody in this shit knows the coverage but you.' He was like, 'Hey, who are you talking to?'" the native of North Carolina remarked. "I told P right then and there, in front of coaches and everybody, 'I will knock you the fu*k out, bro. You're trippin'.' You was wrong, bro. You're WRONG."
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Regretted what happened
People can do some bad things in the heat of the moment. Emotions run high, tensions flare, and sometimes words or actions are said or done that they later regret. This was the case for Trez during a heated exchange with PG.
"I can look back on that now and realize I went too far in the heat of the moment. I realize this is a business, and you can't talk like that to the star player. But when you're going through grief, you only see what's right in front of you," Trez shared.
The former second-round pick was going through the roughest time of his life and had apparently reached the end of his rope without him even knowing it.
"I was so fuc*ed up mentally, more than I even knew," Harrell admitted.
The Clippers eventually lost their commanding 3-1 lead and were ousted by the Nuggets in seven games. Trez went on to play for the Lakers, the Washington Wizards, the Charlotte Hornets, and the Philadelphia 76ers before tearing his ACL in August 2022. He was later waived by the Sixers and has not been in the league since.
Related: Montrezl Harrell says the Clippers would've been champions in 2020 if there was no bubble: "Nobody beating us in seven bro"
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