'I couldn't wait': Most electric NBL duo that never was

• Montrezl Harrell averaged 20.5 points and 9.3 rebounds for the Adelaide 36ers last season, making the All-NBL Second team
• Harrell's contract was terminated by the 36ers after issues surrounding a positive drug test in China
• 'How does this happen?': Jason Cadee shocked by Harrell release
• Adelaide 36ers survive as Bryce Cotton fouls out in overtime win against Melbourne United

Former NBA sixth man of the year Montrezl Harrell relished the opportunity to play alongside five-time MVP Bryce Cotton.

Cotton, 33, signed with the 36ers on May 22 this year and the Monsta re-signed exactly a week later. 36ers fans were dreaming of the dynamic one-two punch, which may have been one of the most exciting partnerships in NBL history.

But it wasn't to be as Harrell had his contracted terminated before taking the court in NBL26 because of a marijuana drug ban by the Chinese Basketball Association.

Speaking on the latest episode of 'Cut to the Jase' with former teammate Jason Cadee, Harrell spoke on his eagerness to partner with one of the greatest players in the history of the league.

"Extremely, bro, extremely," Harrell told basketball.com.au.

"Because like I said, to be able to to be on the floor with a guy who I know is hella competitive, a guy who has put in the work and and literally continues to put in the work in his craft even no matter his age and stuff like that, he continues to just blossom and continues to brighten his game year after year, bro.

"It's amazing to see, bro. So, I was definitely ready and willing to do anything and everything to put us in the best situation in order to win and actually be successful to win a championship, which we was going to try to compete to do.

"But, it's definitely great to see that he's actually still being that player that I already knew that he was going to be. Like, that wasn't that one thing that ever doubted or or second-guessed about Bryce.

"Because he's a veteran, he's a pro, he's a guy that comes into this game and respects the game and gives everything he has to the game every time he's on the court. So, I can't do nothing but respect somebody like that."

Asked who was the toughest player he faced in the NBL, Harrell looked no further than Cotton and spoke about how damaging the pair would've been on the court together, alongside fellow import Zylan Cheatham, which was originally going to be the import trio for Adelaide in NBL26.

"(The toughest player is) Bryce, that's hands down," he said.

"It's literally, if you're not up on the screen and let him shoot freely, he's going to make the shot, if you're up on the screen like that, then he's going to draw the foul... that's why I couldn't wait to be the person setting the screens and y'all try to figure out what you want to do and me on the backside.

"I couldn't wait. Then I'm a willing passer, I don't know why people just think I just ball hog and that, I'm a willing passer... You'll really see some lobs (with Cheatham).

"I'll be throwing some s**t and I'd tell (Cheatham) like 'hey bro, I see the the the gap right there, bro, I'm going to throw it right there just go up and do what you do."

Despite being out of the league due to his three-month drug ban and being unhappy with certain aspects of his departure from Adelaide, Harrell credited Australian and 36ers fans for helping him find his love for the game once again.

"For me, it was a breath of fresh air, honestly, because I was able to be myself and I I was accepted for that," he said.

"I was the the crazy energetic, dancing, yelling, diving into the crowd player that I am and people loved every bit of it, but they didn't judge me like that when I went off the court, they they let me be able to be myself.

"I was definitely more so surprised at how I was so embraced in the country and not just in Adelaide but just in the country of Australia period.

"It's amazing bro, like I actually have fans in Australia. I get on my stream and cut my stream on sometimes and depending on how late I'm streaming, I have Adelaide fans hopping in my stream, asking me basketball question or just chatting in general.

"So, it's dope to just see the the connection and the people that I've been able to reach and just touch through leaving a pair of shoes around the city and and they found them and their kids finding them. Just things like that, just being able to connect with the people on a more real level, not only just playing the game of basketball.

"People will never really understand how much I cherish that because of where I was in that point in time in my basketball career. That was my first major injury, surgery, anything (in my career) and I played basketball since I was 13, 14. I've never had a surgery until then and it was a major surgery.

"I tore my ACL and my meniscus torn... Some people might not bounce back, some people might not move the same, some people might not be the the same person that they were once before.

"But I was back dunking at basketball, bro. I was back catching lobs, enjoying myself, playing the game, just being me."