Getty Montrezl Harrell #5 of the Los Angeles Clippers.
Every player should be given a fair shot at acclimating to their new team after a signing or trade. And recent Philadelphia 76ers free agency acquisition Montrezl Harrell is no different.
He just might wish he could take a few things back.
One of those “things” came up during a discussion with police back in May. Harrell was pulled over, and his car was inspected after officers smelled marijuana. But during the inspection, Harrell identified himself as an NBA player, much to the excitement of the Kentucky Troopers.
The cops asked Harrell all kinds of questions about his NBA career, eager to get the inside scoop. But it wasn’t just Harrell’s on-court competition that came up. No, the officers also asked which team’s stadium is the worst to visit.
Cop: What team has the worst facility?
Harrell: The one I hate playing at the worst is probably, uh, [long pause], probably Philly.
Cop: Is it because of the fans or the arena?
Harrell: The arena. It’s either Philly or Boston. Because they got hockey teams so that s*** got the ice up under there. It’s cold as f***. Cold as hell.
While Philadelphia’s chilly home is less known, Boston’s cold facilities are something of basketball lore. In the 1980s, the Celtics were known to keep the visiting locker room “freezing,” especially when the Lakers came to town.
But Harrell isn’t the only one who has issues with Boston’s locker room.
Boston’s Locker Room is a ‘High School’ Locker Room
Back in August, two players opened up about Boston’s visitor’s locker room, putting the team on blast in the process. On an episode of The Long Shot Podcast with Duncan Robinson and Davis Reid, Robinson, who plays for the Miami Heat, didn’t hold anything back.
“If you walked in and said, ‘This is a high school locker room,’ I would say that’s a s***** high school locker room,’” Robinson said during the episode.
Robinson was joined on the show by Milwaukee Bucks wing Pat Connaughton, who agreed with Robinson’s assessment of Boston’s facilities. “The Boston Celtics locker room is the worst visiting team locker room in the NBA,” Connaughton stated.
Harrell Unloads on the Jokic vs Embiid MVP Debate
During the traffic stop, the officers inspecting Harrell’s car also asked the former Sixth Man of the Year to weigh in on the MVP debate.
Cop: Who is the best big guy you ever played against?
Harrell: [Nikola] Jokic.
Cop: I was surprised he won MVP.
Harell: I’m not. For him to be that size, all the passing that he’s doing, all that s***, he’s legit.
Harrell’s comments might cause some tension considering that his new teammate Joel Embiid finished runner-up to Jokic for two straight seasons in MVP voting. Even though Embiid won the scoring title last season and finished third in the league for win-shares, it wasn’t enough to overcome Jokic’s dominant and stat-dazzling performance with the Nuggets.
Even still, Embiid enters 2022-23 a favorite to win the award. Though he wasn’t named the top choice by ESPN (that honor belongs to Giannis Antetokounmpo), he finished runner-up in the preseason tally. Appropriate enough, though at this point, perhaps too appropriate.