Montrezl Harrell has been handed a three-game suspension and $3,685 fine for his role in multiple on and off-court offences during the Adelaide 36ers' November 17 game against Melbourne United, an NBL Single Member Tribunal (SMT) found on Monday afternoon.
The more-than-three-hour tribunal also issued his teammate, Kendric Davis, a two-game suspension for his role in the off-court incident, which was an altercation with courtside spectators at John Cain Arena.
Harrell -- a one-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year who's currently an import for the 36ers, and one of the NBL's most marketed players -- was at the centre of both incidents, engaging in a physical altercation with United after a foul call, before being involved in the confrontation with fans.
Early in the fourth quarter of the game, Harrell was called for a charge on United's Rob Loe, with both bigs ending up on the ground. While on the floor, Harrell pushed Loe, leading to a melee that involved most players. United guard Shea Ili was first to enter the scuffle and push Harrell, before the 36ers big-man appeared to throw a closed-fist punch toward the United guard's face. Harrell then threw multiple open-hand strikes toward United players amid the scuffle.
Immediately following the incident, the 36ers players and staff were involved in an altercation with several courtside fans in front of their bench. The scuffle had to be broken up by United and 36ers staffers and players, and four spectators were ejected from the game.
The SMT upheld two charges of striking ($1,550 fine each), a charge of engaging in a melee ($585 fine), and a charge of "inappropriate grabbing or handling of a spectator" (three-game suspension) against Harrell. Assuming the charge stands, Harrell would miss the 36ers' games against the Tasmania JackJumpers on November 30, Brisbane Bullets on December 6, and Perth Wildcats on December 8.
The 30-year-old is currently in the United States as the NBL season is paused due to the November FIBA window; he has hinted multiple times on social media that his return to Australia isn't a certainty, pending the outcome of this tribunal.
The SMT also upheld a charge of "inappropriate grabbing or handling of a spectator" against Davis, leading to his two-game suspension. He would miss the 36ers' games against the JackJumpers and Bullets.
In the immediate aftermath of the incidents, the NBL's Game Review Panel came to a determination that Davis was the party who made first contact in the altercation with spectators.
Part of Davis' defence in Monday's SMT was an allegation of racist language directed at him, sources told ESPN. The 25-year-old claimed a spectator said to him, "sit your little black ass down", a source said.
The tribunal still determined Davis' actions warranted a multi-game suspension.
The base penalty for "inappropriate grabbing or handling of a spectator" is up to 10 games, according to the NBL's tribunal guidelines; Harrell was ultimately handed three, while Davis received two.
Last Friday -- three days prior to this tribunal -- United released a statement claiming they weren't able to substantiate the allegations of racist language: "Throughout our own investigation and collaboration with the NBL investigation, the club has not been made aware that any such comments have been able to be substantiated or corroborated," the team said.
The Adelaide 36ers have 24 hours to appeal this determination to a Full Member Tribunal.
The NBL Integrity Department's investigation of the spectator incident from the game remains ongoing, the league said. One of the fans involved in the altercation with 36ers players was identified as Allan Ibrahim, a long-time United member. The man at the centre of the incident, wearing a grey hoodie, has still yet to be identified by the NBL, sources said.
Ili and United assistant coach David Barlow were each fined $775 -- reduced to $585 with an early guilty plea -- for their respective roles in the on-court scuffle. Both accepted the early guilty plea.
NSW barrister Anais d'Arville served as the NBL's SMT for this case. The NBL was represented by Adrian Anderson, a Victorian barrister who has heard cases for the AFL Players' Association and Australian Cricketers' Association, and was the AFL's General Manager of Football Operations from 2004-2012. The 36ers retained James McLeod to represent both players; the NSW barrister has experience in sports law, including in relation to racially based, derogatory, or offensive language issues.