Clippings: The makings of Montrezl Harrell

If you’ve ever listened to Montrezl Harrell in an interview, a phrase he repeatedly comes back to is that he’s blessed to be able to play basketball, a game that he loves. Everything that Trezz is and does comes back to that — his nonstop work even during the summers, the raw emotion that he plays with on the court, and the joy that emanates from him. He was given an opportunity to be a professional basketball player, and he takes full advantage of that.

That passion takes center stage in a new Clippers digital feature “Monsta Trezz” that premieres today. It tells Harrell’s story from his childhood days in Tarboro, North Carolina, when a young kid figured out that sports would be his ticket to a better life. We learn about Harrell’s commitment to hard work at a young age, his dalliance with football before settling on basketball, the way he dealt with the hype and pressure of being the man when he was only in high school, and how he has created a prototype for aspiring NBA players after not really having a position when he was drafted.

The interviews with Harrell’s childhood coaches, family members, and NBA analysts (some fun cameos!) all paint a picture of Trezz that we’ve become familiar with. We’ve seen his work ethic come through as he has developed from a play finisher into a play creator. We’ve seen him flex and kiss his muscles after an explosive dunk. This is the chance to learn where that motivation comes from.

If you’re like me, and you spent an hour watching Harrell play 2K on TV, even though his opponent looked like he’d never played the game before, you’re going to love this video. It will be available on YouTube, Facebook, and IGTV at 9 a.m. today.

On to the links...

• ESPN ranked the future prospects of all 30 NBA teams, and the Clippers did quite well.
• Jovan Buha of The Athletic picked his top 10 moments of the season.
• If the NBA does decide to hold a H-O-R-S-E competition, the folks at Clipperholics know who they want representing the Clippers.
• A look back at the 2000 NBA Draft imagines an alternate history where the Clippers selected Dirk Nowitzki.
• And lastly, an update from LA Clippers radio announcer Noah Eagle, with a special guest: