As a freshman, Harrell backed up power forwardChane Behanan, averaging 5.7 points and 3.6 rebounds in 16.2 minutes per game. He played his best at the end of the season, scoring 20 points in the Cardinals' Big East Conference championship victory over Syracuse. In his reserve role, Harrell helped the Cardinals win the 2013 NCAA championship, which was later vacated,[3] to cap his freshman season.[1]
With Gorgui Dieng's departure for the 2013 NBA draft, Harrell received recognition in the offseason leading to his sophomore year as one of the top returning players in the country. The Sporting News selected Harrell to the preseason All-America third team in its 2013–14 college basketball preview magazine.[4] He and teammate Russ Smith received postseason honors, being named to the American Athletic Conference's all-conference first team.[5] Harrell was seen as a potential mid-to-late first-round pick in the 2014 NBA draft.[6]
Harrell decided to stay for his junior season instead of opting for the NBA, and the Cardinals moved to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).[7] In the 2014–15 season, he averaged 15.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game and was the inaugural winner of the Karl Malone Award, given to the nation's top power forward.[8] He was also named second-team All-ACC.[9]
Harrell with Louisville in 2015
Professional career
Houston Rockets (2015–2017)
On June 25, 2015, Harrell was selected by the Houston Rockets in the second round of the 2015 NBA draft with the 32nd overall pick.[10] On September 19, 2015, he signed a three-year deal with the Rockets.[11] He made his debut for the Rockets in the team's season opener against the Denver Nuggets on October 28, recording eight points and three rebounds in a 105–85 loss.[12] Two days later, he scored 17 points in a loss to the Golden State Warriors.[13] On November 13, he made his first career start, scoring five points in just under 13 minutes of action, as the Rockets were defeated by the Denver Nuggets 107–98.[14] On March 28, 2016, Harrell received a five-game NBA D-League suspension without pay for pushing a game official.[15] During his rookie season, he received multiple assignments to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets' G-League affiliate.[16]
On November 2, 2016, Harrell had a 17-point, 10-rebound effort off the bench in a 118–99 win over the New York Knicks.[17] On December 21, 2016, against the Phoenix Suns, Harrell made his first start of the season and second of his career. He scored 17 points as a result, tying a career high.[18] On December 30, he set a new career high with 29 points in a 140–116 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.[19] On January 8, 2017, he had 28 points in 26 minutes off the bench on 12-of-13 shooting in a 129–122 win over the Toronto Raptors.[20]
On July 24, 2018, Harrell re-signed with the Clippers on a two-year, $12 million contract.[23][24] On October 26, 2018, Harrell scored a career-high 30 points off the bench in a 133–113 win over the Houston Rockets.[25] On February 22, 2019, he matched his career high with 30 points in a 112–106 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.[26] Three days later, he set a new career high with 32 points in a 121–112 win over the Dallas Mavericks.[27]
On November 6, 2019, Harrell set a new career high of 34 points, alongside 13 rebounds and five assists, in a 129–124 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.[28] On November 24, he again scored 34 points, alongside twelve rebounds, two assists and two blocks, in a 134–109 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.[29] On January 5, 2020, Harrell scored 34 points, alongside six rebounds and three assists, in a 135–132 win over the New York Knicks.[30] During the 2019–20 season, Harrell averaged career highs in points (18.6) and rebounds (7.1) per game. In September 2020, Harrell was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year.[31] The Clippers fell in seven games during the second round of the playoffs after the Denver Nuggets came back from a 3–1 deficit, despite a team-leading 20-point effort from Harrell in Game 7.[32] Harrell averaged 10.5 points and 2.9 rebounds in the playoffs.
Los Angeles Lakers (2020–2021)
On November 22, 2020, Harrell signed a two-year, $19 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.[33][34] On December 22, he made his Lakers debut, putting up 17 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists, in a 116–109 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.[35] On March 15, 2021, Harrell scored a season-high 27 points, alongside five rebounds and three steals, in a 128–97 win over the Golden State Warriors.[36] In the first round of the playoffs, the Lakers fell in six games to the Phoenix Suns, with Harrell only averaging 9.8 minutes a game.[37]
Washington Wizards (2021–2022)
Harrell shoots a free throw during a 2021 game
On August 6, 2021, Harrell was traded to the Washington Wizards as part of a package for Russell Westbrook.[38] Harrell made his Wizards debut on October 20, recording 22 points and nine rebounds in a 98–83 win over the Toronto Raptors.[39] On December 1, he scored a season-high 27 points, alongside five rebounds and three assists, in a 115–107 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.[40]
Charlotte Hornets (2022)
On February 10, 2022, Harrell was traded to his hometown team the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Ish Smith, Vernon Carey Jr., and a 2023 second-round pick.[41] On February 11, Harrell made his Hornets debut, putting up 15 points and six rebounds in a 141–119 win over the Detroit Pistons.[42]
Philadelphia 76ers (2022–2023)
On September 13, 2022, Harrell signed a 2-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.[43] He made his 76ers debut on October 18, scoring two points in a 126–117 loss to the Boston Celtics.[44]
On June 21, 2023, Harrell declined his $1.97 million player option to become a free agent[45] and on July 18, he signed with the 76ers on a 1-year deal.[46] However, on August 2, he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury while preparing for the training camp[47] and was waived on October 23.[48] He subsequently missed the entire 2023–24 NBA season and participated in NBA minicamps ahead of the 2024–25 season.[49]
Adelaide 36ers (2024–present)
On September 12, 2024, Harrell signed with the Adelaide 36ers of the National Basketball League (NBL) in Australia as an injury replacement player for Jarell Martin.[50] In his debut for the 36ers on September 22, he recorded 13 points and 13 rebounds in a 102–94 loss to the Sydney Kings.[51] On October 18, he signed with the 36ers for the rest of the season.[52] On October 25, he had 36 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks in a 99–93 overtime win over the Cairns Taipans.[53] On November 25, he was suspended for three games and received fines totalling $3,685 following striking and melee incidents that occurred during Adelaide's game against Melbourne United on November 17.[54]
Harrell is the son of Samuel and Selena Harrell and has two younger brothers, Cadarius and Quatavius.[1] His father added the silent "l" to his first name because he wanted to make it unique.[56]
Harrell has two children who live with their mother in Kentucky.[56]
Harrell is good friends with football player Todd Gurley who also attended high school in Tarboro.[56]
Harrell enjoys collecting and designing sneakers. Through social media, he finds and works with sneaker customizers to realize his design ideas.[57] Since the NBA relaxed its policies in 2018, Harrell wore different shoes during the first and second half of every basketball game.[58]
Harrell left the 2020 NBA Bubble in Walt Disney World for a family matter, which was later revealed to be to tend to his grandmother, who died soon after. He missed the first two games in the bubble as a result.[59]
On June 15, 2022, Harrell was charged with trafficking less than 5 pounds (2.3 kg) of marijuana, a felony drug charge punishable with up to five years in prison. In August 2022, the crime was downgraded to a misdemeanor.[60]
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