Montrezl Harrell caught by the NBA with three pounds of weed

NBA forward Montrezl Harrell is facing drug charges after police discovered three pounds of weed during a traffic stop in Kentucky last month. Harrell, who plays for the Charlotte Hornets, was due to appear in court to answer charges filed Monday in Madison County, Kentucky, but the charges hearing has been postponed until next month, court filings show.

According to a police report cited by the Charlotte Observer, Harrell was driving a rented 2020 Honda Pilot southbound on I-75 on the morning of May 12 when he was pulled over by a Kentucky state trooper for following the vehicle in front of him too closely him. In the report, Trooper Jesse Owens wrote that after stopping Harrell’s vehicle, he “observed” the smell of marijuana. The citation also notes that Harrell “admitted to possession of marijuana and produced a small amount from his sweatpants.” Police officers then searched the vehicle Harrell was driving. During the search, the officer discovered “three pounds of marijuana in vacuum-sealed bags” in a backpack, which traffic regulations said was found in the back seat of the vehicle.

Harrell was charged with trafficking less than five pounds of marijuana. Under Kentucky state law, possession of more than eight ounces but less than five pounds of marijuana for the first offense is classified as a Class D felony. Those found guilty of the charges face one to five years in prison behind bars and a fine of between $1,000 and $10,000.

The Charlotte Hornets have declined to comment on Harrell’s case, according to multiple media reports.

8 year NBA career

Harrell, a North Carolina native, is in his eighth season with the NBA. He played NCAA Division 1 college basketball in Kentucky for the University of Louisville Cardinals, where he averaged 11.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. As a freshman, he played on the Cardinals’ national championship team in 2013, although the title was later stripped by the league for NCAA violations.

In June 2015, Harrell was selected by the Houston Rockets in the second round of the NBA draft as their 32nd pick overall. On September 19, 2015, he signed a three-year contract with the Rockets and made his NBA debut with the team in the season opener on October 28 against the Denver Nuggets, scoring eight points and catching three rebounds. Harrell made his NBA career debut on November 13, playing 13 minutes of game time and dropping five points in the Rockets’ win over the Denver Nuggets. He was assigned to Rockets D-League affiliate Rio Valley Grande Vipers several times during his rookie season.

In June 2017, the Los Angeles Clippers traded Chris Paul to the Rockets, acquiring Harrell, Patrick Beverley, Sam Dekker, Darrun Hilliard, DeAndre Liggins, Lou Williams, Kyle Wiltjer and a 2018 first-round draft pick from Houston. In September 2020, Harrell was named the sixth NBA Man of the Year, an honor bestowed by the league for the top bench player of the season. That season, the Clippers made the playoffs, losing to the Denver Nuggets in seven games. Harrell averaged 10.5 points and 2.9 rebounds per game in the playoffs, in which the Nuggets advanced to one after starting the three-game streak.

Harrell signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on November 22, 2020 and made his debut with the team a month later, amassing 17 points, 10 rebounds and three assists against his former team and the Lakers’ crosstown rivals, the Clippers. In August 2021, Harrell was traded to the Washington Wizards in a deal for Russell Westbrook. He was traded to the Charlotte Hornets in February of that year and recorded 15 points and six rebounds on his team debut on February 11. Harrell is slated to be an unrestricted free agent when the NBA’s new league year begins in July.