Tyrell Harrison (born 6 July 1999) is an Australian-New Zealand professional basketball player for the Brisbane Bullets of the National Basketball League (NBL). He represents New Zealand in international basketball competitions.
In the 2020–21 NBL season, Harrison appeared in all 36 games for the Bullets, averaging 5.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.[2] In the 2021–22 NBL season, Harrison increased his minutes and on-court production, but ultimately succumbed to an elbow injury late in the season.[4] He averaged 6.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 17 games.[2]
In the 2022 off-season, Harrison underwent elbow surgery after battling through pain over the previous two seasons. It started as a stress fracture in the 2020–21 season, healed from the stress fracture and then never got better.[4]
In the 2022–23 NBL season, Harrison averaged 5.0 points and 4.4 rebounds in 16 games[2] while shooting 82% from the field.[5] He was ruled out for six weeks in late November 2022 with a knee injury.[6]
On 6 March 2023, Harrison re-signed with the Bullets on a two-year deal.[5] He participated in all but one game in the 2023–24 NBL season, averaging 9.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks, establishing himself as the starting center.[7]
On 29 September 2024, Harrison signed a two-year contract extension with the Bullets.[7] Coming into the 2024–25 NBL season, Harrison was named the most valuable player of the NBL Blitz pre-season tournament.[8][9] On 12 October 2024, he recorded 21 points and 17 rebounds (12 offensive) in an 87–85 win over the South East Melbourne Phoenix.[10] His 12 offensive rebounds set the record for the most ever by a player in a 40-minute NBL game.[11] On 6 December, he recorded 19 points and 18 rebounds in a 102–83 win over the Adelaide 36ers.[12]
QBL/NBL1 North and New Zealand NBL
In 2017, Harrison debuted in the Queensland Basketball League (QBL) for the South West Metro Pirates. He continued with the Pirates in the 2018 QBL season.[13]
Harrison began the 2024 New Zealand NBL season with the Manawatu Jets[17] before joining the Southern Districts Spartans of the NBL1 North for the rest of the 2024 NBL1 season. With the Spartans, he averaged 23.6 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game, earning selection to the NBL1 North First Team.[2][18]
National team career
In 2017, Harrison played for the Australian University National Team at the World University Games in Taiwan.[19]