Shock footage: Taylor had Rakocevic in 'crazy headlock'

• Seven players ejected after fourth-quarter melee under Brisbane basket
• Vasiljevic accused Bullets of cheap shots and unprofessional conduct
• Mike Wells said headlock and punches crossed basketball’s line‍
• Montrezl Harrell declares 'I Got You' to Brisbane Bullets

Shocking video has emerged of Brisbane Bullets import Terry Taylor putting Adelaide 36ers forward Nick Rakocevic in a "crazy headlock" during a melee that led to seven players being ejected for from their NBL26 Ignite Cup clash on the Gold Coast on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.

Tiktok user @harryybestt posted the vision just hours after the 36ers blow-out 107-74 win.

It shows Taylor's arm wrapped around Rakocevic's neck as he wrestles with Brisbane import Hunter Maldonado. All three players were ejected along with Brisbane's Sam McDaniel, Taine Murray and Alex Ducas for coming off the bench.

Rakocevic and Maldonado got tangled up in the block in the last quarter and Rakocevic shoved Maldonado into the front row on the baseline, landing on top of the American import with what appeared to be an elbow on the follow through. Taylor rushed in and had Rakocevic around the neck as players from both sides swarmed the skirmish, including Bryce Cotton, Vasiljevic and Brisbane captain Mitch Norton. 36ers head coach Mike Wells arrived soon after, trying to break it up.

The video shows Cotton and Norton both trying to ply Taylor's arm from Rakocevic's neck.

"Obviously, we want to compete," Wells said.

"To me, there is always a line in sports, and you do not cross that line. There was a takedown between two players and then everybody started jumping in. By the time I got down there, Terry Taylor had Nick in a headlock on his back and Maldonado was punching him in the stomach. That is what I saw.

"Everybody else who jumped in was grabbing my players, while Maldonado was still punching Nick in the stomach. To me, that is not basketball.

"We can play, we can compete, we can get after it, and this is a hard-playing league, but people do not cross the line. That crossed the line."

Bullets captain Mitch Norton disputed Wells' claims Maldonado punched Rakocevic.

"I didn’t see Hunter throw a punch," Norton said.

"I continue to ask for clarity as to why TD got thrown out, who was at the back of the pack not doing a thing, when there were a lot of other players who were pretty heavily involved that didn’t get sent.

"I don’t understand that one. As for TT, he was sticking up for a teammate. All the other comments about cheap shots and all that stuff, I don’t really buy it."

Brisbane interim head coach Darryl McDonald also disputed Maldonado threw punches.

"It was an offensive rebound and I just saw a really forceful power drive," McDonald said.

"After that, I didn’t see a lot. But yeah, it’s us, it’s our team, guys protecting each other. I don’t think anybody threw punches. Like you said, 'Hunter threw a punch' – Hunter didn’t throw any punches. He was trying to get away from the guy because the guy was landing on him.

"Again, it’s tough, man. When you have teammates, you want to protect your teammates, and that’s all we were trying to do."

Wells turned the heat up, suggesting the melee reminded him of then Houston Rockets player and later NBA championship coach Rudy Tomjanovich getting his jaw broken trying to break up a fight against the Los Angeles Lakers in 1997.

"It rattled all of us, to be honest," Wells said.

"Two guys getting tangled up is basketball and it happens. I do not know how it suddenly becomes Terry Taylor on his back with a chokehold from behind.

"I do not know why anything gets to a point where you are holding a guy by the neck and holding his arms down. That is really dangerous.

"I worked for Rudy Tomjanovich with the Houston Rockets, and there was an incident on the court back in the 70s with the Lakers. That makes it more personal to me.

"When people start choke-holding and holding arms, that is something completely different.

"(NBL punishments) is out of my hands. I am just concerned about my player. We have five games left and we are talking about finals. We have a lot more basketball to play. This was a really unfortunate situation, but I was scared for my player.

"When I got down there, I screamed at Terry. I know him a little bit. It was almost like a parent saying, 'What are you doing?'

"This is not what we do in basketball. We should be breaking it up and separating people. Cooler heads should prevail. We should not be having chokeholds.

"I do not know what was going on with Maldonado in that situation, but he was not stopping. That is why everybody else jumped in, because he kept going.

"I am fired up and concerned that it did not stop earlier.

"The Brisbane Bullets should be taking their guy, we should be grabbing our guy, and we should be separating the situation.

"The referees have to do whatever they need to do to de-escalate immediately. That is part of their job until coaches get there. We also have to hold people on the bench back, because that is when things really get out of control.

"It was on the baseline, with fans nearby. There was a lot going on."

McDonald defended Taylor, who he said was was trying to protect his teammate.

"Again, I don’t think he was out of control," D-Mac said.

"I think he was trying to protect his teammate. I think you go to the tape and have a look at the tape and you can see what’s going on.

"With basketball, your teammates matter and you protect your teammates.

"I don’t know whether they saw Rakocevic land on Hunter, because he literally pushed him and then power-drove him.

"Nobody saw that, that’s all I’m saying. Go to the tape and you’ll see what I’m talking about."

The NBL said in a statement: “An on-court incident involving multiple players occurred during tonight’s Ignite Cup game between the Brisbane Bullets and Adelaide 36ers, with 3:02 remaining in the fourth quarter The incident has been referred to the NBL’s Game Review Panel for consideration in accordance with the NBL Tribunal Rules. Relevant parties will be notified of the next steps in the process. No further comment will be made by the NBL while the matter is under review."