Montrezl Harrell, who won a national championship with Louisville in 2013 and spent multiple seasons in the NBA, is managing a demanding schedule across two professional basketball leagues during the offseason. The veteran player appeared for The Ville, Louisville’s alumni team, in The Basketball Tournament against Kentucky’s La Familia squad on Saturday before traveling to Chicago within 24 hours to compete for the Chicago Triplets in the Big3.
In his Big3 debut game, Harrell produced an exceptional performance, scoring 42 points to establish a new single-game scoring record for the league. This surpassed the previous mark set by Isaiah Briscoe at 37 points. The Triplets defeated LA Riot 50-31 in that contest. Through two games in the Big3 season, Harrell has accumulated 76 points and currently ranks sixth in league scoring.
Harrell’s commitment to playing in both competitions simultaneously continues this week, with plans to participate in a decisive Game 3 for The Ville against La Familia on Wednesday before traveling over 300 miles to Detroit for a Big3 matchup Thursday. When discussing his dual involvement, Harrell emphasized his genuine passion for basketball as distinct from treating it merely as employment. He described the sport as his “peace” and “sanctuary” rather than a job he resents.
The former NBA player’s participation in The Basketball Tournament carries additional significance, as the tournament winner receives a $2 million prize. Harrell scored 35 points in a recent Louisville game to keep his team competitive in the competition. His professional basketball journey has included stops with multiple NBA franchises, including the Rockets, Clippers, Lakers, Wizards, Hornets, and 76ers. He was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2020 after averaging 18.6 points per game with the Clippers during that season.
Harrell has been away from NBA competition since the 2022-23 season and most recently played professionally in Puerto Rico. Despite his extended absence from the league, he expressed openness to returning to the NBA, though he indicated that such a decision rests with NBA organizations rather than his own preference.
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