Huge brawl breaks out in the NBL as ‘four fans’ are kicked out, while ex-LA Lakers stars clash with opponents in heated argument
Wild scenes broke out in the NBL on Sunday night when ‘four spectators’ and several players were ejected from John Cain Arena as the Adelaide 36ers took on Melbourne United.
United would give the visitors a huge 113-93 victory to maintain their position at the top of the table.
But ugly scenes broke out during the game, with former Los Angeles Lakers and Washington Wizards star Montrezl Harrell at the heart of the controversy.
Tensions erupted when Harrell was arrested for a foul on Rob Loe. Both players then fell to the ground before Harrell pushed the Melbourne centre.
It led to a heated battle between both groups of players, with United’s Shea Ili intervening to give Harrell a boost.
The 30-year-old Harrell appeared to take a swipe at the Melbourne player ESPNwith United coach Dean Vickerman calling on the NBL to investigate the flashpoint.
Ugly scenes broke out in Melbourne United’s NBL match against the Adelaide 36ers on Sunday
Shea Ili and Montrezl Harrell appeared to clash on the court as players from both sides intervened to break up the scuffle
A brawl also broke out on the sideline when a fan confronted the 36ers players
“Any time there are punches thrown and things like that, the league will handle it appropriately,” he said.
‘I thought we supported each other during that period… I haven’t really looked back on it that much.
“It’s only what my eyes saw at the time. We take the lead, there is a push that escalates into a little bit more.
“Once everyone gets in… the league will deal with bumps once they connect and what happens with that.”
But that wasn’t the end of the drama. Immediately following the altercation, a brawl ensued with several 36ers players and fans on the sidelines.
Kendric Davis and Matt Weston, the team’s general manager of basketball, were pushed by a fan, according to ESPN.
The spectator can be seen brawling with members of the Adelaide side, with Harrell also appearing to confront a gentleman wearing a gray hoodie.
Verbal and physical exchanges ensued, with Dejan Vasiljevic also being pushed as a fan.
Nick Kyrgios also joined the discussion, claiming on X that ‘spectators should sit down and shut up’
The spectator was seen walking away from the brawl with his hood up and with ‘four fans all ejected’
Coaches and staff intervened to drag the 36ers players away from the melee as tempers flared
Adelaide remains fourth in the NBL table after the defeat, while Melbourne remains at the top
The altercation was subsequently broken up by members of the team’s staff, with ESPN adding that “four spectators” were ejected from the arena.
The man in the jersey was then seen pulling his hood over his head before appearing to walk away from the court.
Harrell, meanwhile, turned to X (formerly Twitter) to speak out about the incident.
“But I’m the bad guy, I’m literally trying to calm down, but then I want to try the tuff,” he said, adding three “poop emojis.”
‘So now I ride for my team, sorry, no regrets.’
He received the support of Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios, who had also been involved in an incident with a fan at Wimbledon.
He had settled a lawsuit with a patron in 2022 after being harassed by the tennis fan. He had accused her of ‘being drunk’ during his final against Novak Djokovic.
“Spectators should sit down, shut up and clap, that’s it, trezz, I’m with you,” Kyrgios wrote.
Harrell was subsequently sent off from the match for his part in the attack, with Adelaide’s staff attempting to calm the center on the field.
‘When I came back [from the initial scuffle]“, we have fans yelling at players,” 36ers head coach Mike Wells said. ‘All chaos erupts on the sidelines.
‘The fans were shouting at our players and were very aggressive towards the players.
“I’ve been in the NBA a long time and I’ve seen a lot of different fights. If people are in the front row, they can’t do that.
“They can pay their money, they can cheer, they can shout at us; but once they start getting their hands on people, it’s a different game. From what I saw, they got our GM.”
It is understood the NBL is investigating the incident.
Vickerman added, “Fans are there to watch the game and support the game. You never want to see a crossover between players and fans.
“You want to see it in the role of engagement and things like that. Obviously we crossed a line there in the game, where they responded to what was said. It’s something we don’t want to see.”
