Los Angeles Clippers: Montrezl Harrell defying odds in unprecedented rise
By Aymin Bakr
A rough start
The Houston Rockets would select Harrell with the 32nd pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, just barely outside of the first round. Aside from lottery picks, it’s hard for rookies to muster considerable playing time or at least enough to put their skill-set on display, especially on an elite team like the Rockets.
With this in mind, the then 22-year-old would appear in just 39 total games, playing a mere 9.4 minutes per contest. However, he was sent down for a short stint with the team’s G League affiliate, which allowed for him to play significant minutes and prove more of what he could bring to the table.
Although initially seen as just a defensive-minded athlete with the ability to rebound, Harrell would go on to average 24.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.4 blocks and 1.0 steals in 38.9 minutes of play over the 12 games he spent in the G League. As a result, he drew some more attention and garnered more playing time the next season.
He saw doubled minutes his second year in the league, but still had a fairly limited role. He played 58 games but just 18.3 minutes per contest, averaging 9.1 points and 3.8 rebounds on 65.2 percent shooting from the field. Sharing minutes with the likes of Clint Capela and Nene, the 23-year-old couldn’t break into the starting lineup consistently, but did manage to start 14 games.
He received 30 or more minutes in just five games that year, but managed to average an eye-catching 17.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game on 66.0 percent shooting from the field over that span, including a then career-high 29-point performance against the Clippers on Dec. 30.
Despite showing multiple signs to the organization that he was special and performing considerably well when given the proper chance to do so, Harrell would be included in the blockbuster trade package that sent Chris Paul to Houston. It would be in L.A that the hungry young forward could finally put his full skill-set on display — but not immediately.