Revealed: The sledges that kickstarted huge NBL brawl as claim of alleged racial slur also emerges following Melbourne’s clash vs Adelaide

Melbourne United’s 113-93 victory over Adelaide 36ers was overshadowed by unsavoury scenes on Sunday evening after multiple brawls unfolded during the match.

Adelaide United star Kendric Davis is also alleged to have been racially abused by a member of the crowd, according to reports.

The first brawl erupted when former NBA star Montrezl Harrell clashed with United centre Rob Loe while on the court.

The Adelaide tall found himself in a tangle with Loe a minute into the fourth quarter before the latter was seen falling to the floor.

Players from both sides rushed into the melee of bodies, with Harrell, a former NBA Sixth man of the year, subsquently being involved in a heated exchange with United’s Shea Ili. 

Both Harrell and Ili were ejected, while Melbourne coach Dean Vickerman called on the NBL to look into the altercation.

Not long after that another fracas would erupt on the touchline that appeared to have involved several 36ers players and spectators sat behind the visitors bench. 

A man wearing a grey hoodie appeared to clash with several Adelaide United playersand was subsequently seen walking out of the stadium. There is no accusation the individual made the racist remarks or had verbally goaded the players. 

The NBL issued a statement on Sunday stating that the league was ‘investigating’ the matter and followed up on Monday requesting submissions from those involved.

‘All relevant matters that arose from yesterday’s Melbourne United v ‘Adelaide 36ers game at John Cain Arena have been referred to the NBL’s Game Review Panel (GRP),’ the statement read.

‘Requests for submissions have been sent to both Melbourne (Shea Ili and David Barlow) and Adelaide (Montrezl Harrell and Kendric Davis) in relation to yesterday’s incidents. All parties have until 6pm tomorrow to make submissions.’

Daily Mail Australia has contacted both Melbourne United and Adelaide 36ers for comment. 

According to Code Sports, the brawl that took place between the Adelaide players and spectators inside the John Cain Arena had been initiated after sources close to the outlet claimed that Harrell had been the subject of multiple verbal taunts. 

‘Trez got up and they were swearing at him. He was incited: “That’s why you’re not in the NBA, you’ve got a f***ing s*** attitude”,’ the source alleged.

‘The guy’s coming back from an ACL, that’s why he’s not in the NBA, he’s played eight years and he was a Sixth Man of the Year.

‘Come on mate, you’re just a bloke sitting in the front row.’

After Harrell and Ili had clashed on the court, players returned to their respective benches as officials reviewed footage of the mele.

Fans had continued to pester the former Los Angeles Lakers star, who had turned to confront the fans, incensed by their comments.

Code Sports alleges that he had approached the sponsorship boards and said back to the spectators: ‘You can talk about basketball but don’t make it personal.’

The outlet has also claimed that an alleged racial slur was made towards Adelaide guard Kendric Davis by a fan on the sidelines, but it is not known who the comment was made by.

Sources have alleged that an unidentified individual told Davis to: ‘Sit your black a** down on the bench.’

The Adelaide player is said to have responded: ‘Shut the f*** up’.

 

Former AFL star Brendan Fevola, who was at the game, published a video online that was reportedly sent to him by another spectator inside the John Cain Arena that showed a better angle of the scuffle between players and fans on the touchline.

‘I was watching him (Harrell) the whole time thinking, ‘he is going to go nuts here,’ Fevola said to The Daily Telegraph.

‘He was looking at a video screen to see if he’d get ejected and then the supporters next to the bench started chirping at him.

‘Then they got up and it was on – fans versus players.

‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that with fans before.

‘I think they (the fans and Harrell) are both to blame, but a fan can’t touch the players. That is the golden rule.’

Harrell, meanwhile, broke his silence on the matter on X (formerly Twitter to speak out on the incident.  

‘But I’m the bad guy right I literally try calm down but then mf want try the tuff,’ he said adding three ‘poop emojis’. 

‘So now I’m riding for my team sorry not sorry.’

He received the backing of Aussie tennis star Nick Kyrgios, who had also been involved with an incident with a fan at Wimbledon. 

‘Spectators should sit down and shut up and clap that’s about it trezz I’m with you,’ Kyrgios wrote.