Montrezl Harrell has some explaining to do.
Things got slightly out of hand during a D-League game between Rio Grande Valley and Bakersfield when Harrell was involved in an altercation with Derek Cooke Jr. Harrell was shoved first in the scuffle, but when matters escalated he appeared to push the ref to the ground.
It very well could have been an honest mistake on Harrell’s part, but the National Basketball Referees Association won’t accept any excuses. Here’s their official statement:
“After carefully reviewing videotape and related evidence concerning this incident, we have reached the inescapable conclusion that Harrell committed a deliberate assault and battery against Referee Goldenberg. Anything less than a multiple game suspension would constitute a green light for violence against officials.”
It’s unlikely Harrell meant to harm the ref in the heat of the moment, but it’s tough to imagine a scenario in which he’s not suspended for his role in the incident.
