Montrezl Harrell, forward for the Charlotte Hornets, was charged with felony drug charges coming from a traffic stop in Kentucky a month ago where pounds of marijuana were allegedly found, according to the Charlotte Observer.
On May 12, Harrell was pulled over that morning by a Kentucky state trooper because he was following the car in front of him too closely.
More from the Charlotte Observer:
Trooper Jesse Owens stated he “upon stop observed odor of marijuana” from the silver 2020 Honda Pilot that Harrell was driving, according to the citation. Harrell, Owens wrote in the report, “admitted to being in possession of marijuana and produced a small amount from his sweatpants.” During a subsequent search of the vehicle, which the report states Harrell claims was rented, “three pounds of marijuana in vacuum sealed bags” were found in a backpack in the back seat, according to the citation. He’s been charged with trafficking less than five pounds of marijuana.
The Hornets have not commented.
Possessing or trafficking eight or more ounces but less than five pounds of marijuana is punishable by 1-5 years in prison with a fine that could be anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000, according to the Charlotte Observer.
Harrel was born and raised in Tarboro, North Carolina, but played college basketball at the University of Louisville for three years where he won a national championship in 2013.
He was drafted by the Houston Rockets in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft.
He has bounced around a few teams in his NBA career, he played with the Rockets during the first two years of his career. He was then traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2017, where he was most successful. During the 2019-2020 NBA season Harrell won sixth man of the year.
Since then, he’s played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards and now the Charlotte Hornets. He will be an unrestricted free agent once the NBA season ends.