Great player for sure but PJC for me. Davis could make it by seasons end.

Best player? Maybe
Top 3? Absolutely
Bad look for the league? I don't think so, I think having him here has been and will continue to be excellent for the league. And it's not like he was a bad NBA player before coming here, the bloke won a 6MOY. Different from if some 15th man came to our league and teared it up, in my opinion

Defintely has the capacity to be the most dominant. I think we'll see a 40/20 game at some point.

Why would it be a bad look? Harrell was averaging numbers not unlike what he's averaging now only a few seasons ago in the NBA. He is is only 30 years old. There is no other player on any NBL roster who has had the capacity to do this. I think he's enjoying being a bigger fish in a smaller pond.

word14, but if someone like that did come here and dominate in a similar way, why would it be a bad look for the league? Anyone on an NBA roster is likely to be above NBL level. It's not the local talent of the NBL that makes it a tougher league to play in, IMO, so there are so many imports out there at all levels who could average 15-20ppg etc. G-League players like Davis have been their way too at time.

Fair enough MC, very valid points. I just think some people would see a 15th man dominate here and laugh, assuming our league can't be any good if someone of that calibre dominates here. Me personally though, I just want to see as much exceptional talent like Trez here as we can, regardless of where they come from.

Also find it interesting to compare Trez's stint in the league to Lamelos. Almost polar opposites- Trez is a proven NBA player using the NBL to try and launch himself back there, while Lamelo had a whole lot of questions around him and was using the NBL as a launchpad to the big time.

I would still have Cooks as the best player in the NBL he impacts the game in more ways than Harrell. There is also a bit of recency bias Harrell was having a good but not dominant season but just had a big 36 & 15 game this round, far and away his best game of the season. Cooks averaging similar numbers just had his worst game of the season. I don't think too many would've said Harrell was having a better season than Cooks before this round.

Updated season averages:

Harrell - 19.0p @ 55%, 10.6r, 1.6a, 0.5s, 1.5b in 29.6m

Cooks - 17.6p @ 59%, 9.0r, 4.1a, 1.4s, 1.2b in 26.7m

I'm a Sixers fan but I know who I would rather have on my team and I'll take the former MVP and two-time NBL champ.

I don't see why they shoud laugh at that. If you're good enough to be on an NBA roster, you're good enough to have major impact in the NBL. I should say ANBL because there are many NBLs in the world, and our NBL doesn't hold universal naming rights like the NBA does, although it likes to think it does. Our league has its strenghts and weaknesses, but it has a salary cap the size of some single salaries in Europe, and our very best non-NBA players tend to have careers in Europe.

Lamelo was putting up some serious numbers here at 17 or 18 though wasn't he?

I would say that some players like that are just at another level of size, strength and athleticisim. ALthough NBL teams did ok mostly, NBA teams made them look pretty bad too with their length and size. I wouldn't say the NBL is an overly athletic league.

I certainly know of several NBA fans who used to dismiss our league but have come to love it

That's incorrect and a lot of people assume if you're in the NBA you must be a great player. Jaylin Galloway is not a great player and was on the Bucks roster last season, didn't play but was still in the NBA. Didi Louzada hardly tore up the NBL but spent a couple of years in the NBA. Trentyn Flowers was crap etc.

Harrell at his peak averaged 18.6p & 7.1r in the NBA. Yes, 48 min and hyped NBA stats but was a borderline star. He's one of the most credentialled NBA players to play in the NBL behind perhaps only Al Harrington and Aaron Brooks. Harrell is also only 30 years old and still in his prime and has fallen out of the NBA and landed here due to a major injury.

Zodiac, yes of course not every player will have a succesful career, but point was more so that there is no basis to be embrassed about a lower end NBA player being highly capable in the NBL if that player was already playing at a higher level in the first place. BTW, I agree with you that Harrell might struggle to make it back. I think you've been saying that.

Word14, that is great to hear. Our league has lots to offer.

Would be interesting to hear from arguably the most defensively dominant big in Jack White who is superior, Cooks or Harrell. White can use his athleticism against Harrell and can go with him for strength down low. Doesn't have that same advantage over Cooks especially when Cooks gets downhill.

Not many teams have a solid match up for Harrell, great to have him in the league.

Well until last game I did think Harrell would struggle to get a look in again. But if he manages to have a few more 36p, 15r, 5b games he might get back in.

I agree with word14 too my brother a lifelong NBA fan had always refused to pay any attention to the NBL "it's all boardtaps and lay ups" stuff but last season started watching a bit of the NBL for the first time in about 20 years.

This season in part due to the Olympics, a better spectacle than the tripe dished up in the NBA, my brother's now watching the NBL religiously, right into the Super Coach stuff and isn't even bothering much with NBA games anymore. It probably helps too that I've clued him in on all the players histories, tendencies so he's armed with a lot more info than a complete newbie coming to the NBL.

Harell is currently top 5 in 3 major stats categories

Cooks is top 5 in one, and in that one Harrell is ahead of him by 1.6 rebounds per game

Harell is very much in the conversation of one of the most dominate players to come to the NBL. Considering he now looks to be fully fit there is more to come from him I'd expect.

There is a big gap between having NBA player on your CV vs being a productive player in the NBA.

Childress and Harell on par for having the most impact IMO

Harell got smacked by Jack White and Melbourne last week. I'm really interested to see how he responds next time they play United. If he produces a big one I will put him in the running for best player in the league.

Early days but right now Harrell is going head-to-head with Cooks for MVP

And hopefully unlike Josh Childress, he stays healthy

It is Harrell or PJC at the moment then daylight.

For "reasons", I'm only loosely following the NBL these days, and not watching any games, so who's a past player comparison for Harrell?

I was remembering how Carlos Powell was a very strong performer in the NBL (28PPG), but never made any NBA noise. Meanwhile, Harrell was a solid rotation player in NBA not that long ago - can't see how that suggests anything negative about the NBL.

He's still got a place in the NBA, but doubtful he'll reach the high of his los Angeles days. Along with White they're using their experience of physicality to play a bit of bully ball and really dominating at the minute. And maybe because of his reputation, the refs are letting him play without punishing him for being strongest guy on court. Still working himself into top shape, he's just showing that inner desire to motivate himself and outwork others, which led to his success in the NBA. For guys like Martin, they should be making the most of every training and matchup with him just to show what level of commitment is needed.
Could still be a decent contributor in NBA, but needs to be in right situation. Isn't backward in giving his opinion which may put some teams off, and may have lost just that little bit of bounce and speed that got him that 6moty. Plus he can't really spread the floor, so would need to just come in and be a wrecking ball in limited minutes and be an enforcer. Depending how far Sixers go, there might be a playoff team looking to add a little bit of depth, then see how he goes in a training camp.
But it's good for the league, he had a monster game, but isn't totally dominating, just showing what a real pro is. Depending on his plans it wouldn't be the worst place to make his home here. Had some ok contracts that depending how he's invested it should have set himself up, so why not cash in here despite more money elsewhere.
But still waiting, because it's Adelaide, how they're going to stuff it up.

Harrell has clearly made a statement but how soon are the exploits off B Cotton being forgotten. Granted Cotton is injured so I guess rules him out of best active player otherwise not sure why a 6 games player just jumps to No. 1.. PJC is gotta be in discussions. We are quick to jump on band van at times.. great for league have this talent on display

you can just tell Harrell knows his stuff - in the paint everything is with purpose - none of this well maybe i'll do this and hope for the best - everything is for a reason

But still waiting, because it's Adelaide, how they're going to stuff it up.

MVP is usually a team in the top 1-3 positions. So ladder position will be key.

We're not even a 3rd of the way through the season, but if All NBL teams were called today, Harrell's a lock for All NBL 1st.

He is very good and I love the way he plays, but he is not the best player in the league (yet). I would take Cotton, PJC or Cooks over him.

It's great to see these rotation NBA guys in the league that can make an impact. Anthony Lamb was great to watch last season. I think Harrell could make it back to the NBA too.

A lot of import bigs struggle with our refereeing
But Tez has had no such problems.
In fact it's almost like he has been teaching the referees his tricks.
I don’t think he has the bounce (yet) he had five years ago so playing three games a week is probably perfect for him at the moment.
When the NBL season finishes who knows which NBA roster will choose to supplement for a playoff run.
And with Cotton now out injured Tez finding form has been a perfect marketing opportunity for the NBL.

"Best" is pretty subjective (I'd probably go with PJC as well), but he's maybe the most dominant player in the league given all of his contributions on both ends of the court. I thought he'd average 4.9 fouls per game across the season and not only has he done a really good job of not fouling with the way the game is called here, I also feel like a lot of guys just straight up don't challenge him at all.

Gillespie had 11, 5 and 3 in 22 minutes. His energy was good, he can defend the rim, and he is showing hard as good as Mika Vukona did back in the day. But he was also -3 and still looks lost on the court making poor reads (offensively and defensively).

I know Euro teams keep imports hanging around, which is unusual here, but maybe this is a low risk high upside move to have someone ready in case Gillespie gets injured or Fall proves in practice he can handle the NBL.

I'm not sure of what defensive coverages I'd use with Fall to account for his foot speed and lateral movement, but I do know on the other end it will be awfully hard to guard the Breakers if PJC and Mooney have a lob threat to go with their shooters.

Jack White kept him pretty quiet so watch this space for the next matchup

No doubt it helped that United's guards were locking down 36ers guards, reducing the quality of supply

I would call Harrell the most "dominant" player in the league, not necessarily "best" right now.