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2 Ex-Sixers Will Headline Big 3 Battle on Sunday

Former Sixers Dwight Howard and Montrezl Harrell are headlining a Big 3 battle.
Mar 25, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA;  Los Angeles Lakers center Montrezl Harrell (15) and Philadelphia 76ers center Dwight Howard (39) battle for position on the court in the first half of the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Mar 25, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Montrezl Harrell (15) and Philadelphia 76ers center Dwight Howard (39) battle for position on the court in the first half of the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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The Big 3 League is doing some heavy promoting for the battle of bigs, who happen to be former members of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Dwight Howard and Montrezl Harrell are set to take the court on Sunday afternoon. The game will broadcast on CBS and Vice TV, tipping off at 3 PM ET.

Howard joined the Big 3 after playing for the Taoyuan Leopards. Although he hoped to get back in the NBA for another run, Howard’s promotional efforts on social media didn’t land him an opportunity.

During the 2020-2021 NBA season, Howard joined the Sixers for the first and only time in his career. At the time, he was coming off a championship run with the Los Angeles Lakers. While he hoped to return to LA following the 2020 NBA bubble, contract discussions fell through, leading Howard to the Sixers.

Dwight Howar
Jun 2, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Dwight Howard (39) celebrates with guards George Hill (33) and Ben Simmons (25) during the third quarter against the Washington Wizards in game five of the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

While in Philly, Howard appeared in 69 regular-season games. He saw the court for an average of 17 minutes, posting averages of seven points and eight rebounds. He appeared in 12 playoff games, averaging five points and six rebounds,

The run with the Sixers ended up being Howard’s final playoff run in the NBA. He played one more season with the Lakers in 2021-2022. That would be his last 60-game stretch in the league. Howard has over 1,200 NBA games under his belt.

During his most notable years with the Orlando Magic, Howard established himself as one of the most dominant players in the game. He brings a lot of star power to the Big 3, as he’s an eight-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA recipient, and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year.

Montrezl Harrel
Feb 13, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Montrezl Harrell (5) slam dunks against the Houston Rockets during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Montrezl Harrell had the more recent run with the Sixers between the two bigs. The former second-round pick spent the 2022-2023 NBA season with the Sixers after runs with the Washington Wizards and the Charlotte Hornets.

Harrell signed a two-year deal with the Sixers, with his second season being a player option. He appeared in 57 games, averaging six points and three rebounds. Throughout his only stretch with the Sixers, Harrell battled with Philadelphia’s former second-round pick, Paul Reed, for the steady backup minutes.

After one season with the Sixers, Harrell declined his player option, but would re-sign for one year under different terms. Unfortunately, an offseason ACL injury sidelined him for the entire year.

Harrell wouldn’t return to the NBA. He signed in the NBL last season. The former Sixer also spent time in China and Puerto Rico. After his run with the Big 3 in the USA, Harrell is expected to be a part of the Adelaide 36ers in the NBL for the upcoming season.


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Published
Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia

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