Montrezl Harrell established himself as an energetic NBA center and power forward, thriving as a high-efficiency pick-and-roll finisher, relentless rebounder, and interior scorer for teams including the Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets, and Philadelphia 76ers. His rim-running big-man archetype, physicality, and nonstop motor made him one of the league’s most productive high-impact reserve frontcourt players.
Here’s the detailed information on Montrezl Harrell:
Player Profile
- Full Name: Montrezl Dashay Harrell
- Nationality: American
- Age: Born on January 26, 1994
- Hometown: Tarboro, North Carolina, USA
- Height: 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
- Weight: 240 lbs (109 kg)
- Wingspan: 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m)
- Shoe Size: Not widely reported
- Jersey Number: Varies by team; most commonly #5 or #6
- Position: Power Forward / Center
- High School: Hargrave Military Academy (Chatham, Virginia)
- College: University of Louisville (2012–2015)
- NBA Draft: 2015, 2nd round (32nd overall pick) by the Houston Rockets
- Teams Played For:
- Houston Rockets (2015–2017)
- Los Angeles Clippers (2017–2020)
- Los Angeles Lakers (2020–2021)
- Washington Wizards (2021–2022)
- Charlotte Hornets (2022)
- Philadelphia 76ers (2022–2023)
- Boston Celtics (2023–present)
- Championship Rings: None as of 2024
- Other Achievements:
- NBA Sixth Man of the Year (2020)
- Known for his high energy, rebounding, and scoring in the paint
- Kids: Montrezl has children, but their details are kept private.
- Siblings: He has two younger brothers, Cadarius and Quatauis.
Player Archetype / Play Style
Montrezl Harrell’s player archetype is that of an undersized energy big: a high-motor interior finisher who brings force, activity, and toughness more than floor spacing or finesse. Defensively, he has typically fit as a mobile frontcourt worker who can pressure the glass, switch in short bursts, and play with physical intensity, though his size leaves him better suited to disruptive team defense than true rim-protecting anchor duties. Offensively, his role has centered on rim running, pick-and-roll finishing, second-chance scoring, and scoring through contact around the basket rather than shot creation from the perimeter. Physically, Harrell has long stood out for his strong build, explosive leaping, long wingspan, and relentless motor, traits that help him play bigger than his listed height. His play style is aggressive, emotional, and highly energetic, built on hustle, paint pressure, rebounding effort, and constant activity in the middle of the floor. (NBA)
Scouting Report
Montrezl Harrell has always felt like a big who speeds the game up simply by how hard he rolls. That’s the foundation of everything he does offensively. He doesn’t slip into space quietly—he explodes out of ball screens looking to arrive at the rim before the low man is fully set, and his hands are reliable enough that even slightly off-target passes become scoring chances. The interesting thing is that many of his best possessions don’t come from sophisticated actions at all. A simple high pick-and-roll, an empty-side screen or a quick duck-in before the defence gets organised is often enough because he creates pressure with pace rather than size. Around the basket he finishes through contact with a mix of power and surprisingly soft touch, while his second jump allows him to turn broken possessions into extra opportunities before bigger centres can gather themselves. That same urgency occasionally works against him. He can become predetermined with the ball, attacking crowded paint instead of recognising the kick-out, and his passing windows usually appear only after the defence has already committed. Defensively, the effort is obvious, but the positional fit is more complicated. He’s at his best stepping out to contain for a moment before recovering, yet extended drop coverage exposes his lack of length around the rim, while frequent switching can leave him wrestling against taller post scorers who simply shoot over him. What stands out is that his defensive possessions are often won with activity rather than deterrence. He chases loose balls, rotates aggressively from the weak side and challenges everything, but he doesn’t consistently discourage teams from attacking the paint in the first place. To me, Harrell makes the most sense next to lineups with multiple perimeter creators who can repeatedly involve him as a screener instead of asking him to manufacture offence from the block. His game shares elements with Kenneth Faried as a relentless interior finisher, while offensively there’s also a little of an undersized, less playmaking Kenneth Lofton Jr.-style willingness to bully defenders once he gets deep position, even if the defensive responsibilities require a much narrower role.
Notes:
- Similar players to Montrezl Harrell include Nazreon Reid.
Player Insights
Montrezl Harrell is a tenacious player known for his intensity and aggressiveness on the court. In the NBA, he was the kind of player a GM would love to fill out the roster with what remaining money they had after having built a contender. He suffered a rather steep decline in minutes and games played after the 2021-22 NBA season where he finished 9th in total votes for Sixth Man of the Year. He hasn’t played in the NBA since 2022-23. He went to Australia for the 2024 NBL season and quickly became one of the stars in the league. However, his high intensity has taken some getting used to for the Australian officials. 11/29/2024
Sources:
NBA.com — Montrezl Harrell | Forward-Center | Philadelphia 76ers
DraftExpress — Montrezl Harrell NBA Draft Scouting Report and Video Breakdown
NBA.com Boston Celtics — Draft Profile: Montrezl Harrell