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Former NBA 6MOY Defends Himself After Fans Get Physical

A former NBA Sixth Man of the Year has stood up for himself and his team after fans got physical on the bench.

Jeremy Hanna

The Ville's Montrezl Harrell (5) fights for the rebound against UKnighted's Ginikachukwu Ojiako (44) during their game on Saturday, July 20, 2024 in Louisville, Ky. at Freedom Hall during the first round of The Basketball Tournament.
The Ville's Montrezl Harrell (5) fights for the rebound against UKnighted's Ginikachukwu Ojiako (44) during their game on Saturday, July 20, 2024 in Louisville, Ky. at Freedom Hall during the first round of The Basketball Tournament. / Clare Grant/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

A recent game in the National Basketball League of Australia saw multiple players and fans ejected from the arena after the crowd shoved a player on the Adelaide 36ers.

As the 36ers battled the Melbourne United, Adelaide center Montrezl Harrell shoved opposing center Rob Loe after being called for an offensive foul, per ESPN. Melbourne's Shea Ili confronted Harrell afterward and the two had to be separated.

However, things only got worse when the 36ers returned to their bench. Fans began berating the team when at least one shoved guard Dejan Vasiljevic and general manager Matt Weston.

Almost immediately, Harrell and guard Kendric Davis had to be held back from the fan.

In the end, Harrell and Ili were ejected for the conflict on court while four fans were ejected from the arena for instigating the incident on the bench.

Harrell was mic'd up for the game and can be heard explaining how the foul went down. Later, he took the blame for being ejected, telling his teammates, "I gotta keep my head through all that bulls---. That's on me."

Additionally, Steve Allen of 10 News First Perth shared footage of the spectator who shoved the players. Multiple fans have since called for all four fans who were ejected to receive lifetime bans from the NBL.

The former NBA Sixth Man of the Year later shared the video, saying, "But I’m the bad guy right I literally try calm down but then mf want try the tuff [s---] so now I’m riding for my team sorry not sorry."

Multiple NBL personalities have spoken out in support of Harrell. Tennis player and part-owner of the East Melbourne Phoenix Nick Kyrios has spoken in support of Harrell.

"Spectators should sit down and shut up and clap that's about it trezz I'm with you," Kyrgios sad.

36ers coach Mike Wells also stood up for his player.

"That's part of our group coming together in a hostile environment and playing basketball," Wells said. "I don't want to have fight in the game and stuff, I never want to have that, we want to come here and compete, and take it right to the line and never cross the line."

"That's about competition and I think we all love competition, that's why we do what we do. There's one thing within the lines on the court and whatever happened out there, I saw a lot of guys instigating instead of separating, and that's not good."

"And then I saw fans instigating and that's not good. There's one thing on the court, but it can't happen with the fans. You pay your money and you can do anything you want, you just can't touch people."

United head coach Dean Vickerman stood up for his players while also condemning the fans who got physical.

"I didn't think we did anything to super escalate the situation and I thought our intention once it got heated was to defuse it as quick as we could," Vickerman said.

"The fans are there to view the game and support the game, and you never want to see a crossover with players and fans, you want to see it the part of engagement and stuff like that. But obviously we've crossed the line in the game there where they've reacted to whatever's been said. It's something that we don't want to see."

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Jeremy Hanna
JEREMY HANNA

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