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Clippers' Montrezl Harrell announces death of his grandmother

Montrezl Harrell left the NBA bubble two weeks ago to tend to a family matter. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Montrezl Harrell left the NBA bubble two weeks ago to tend to a family matter. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Montrezl Harrell announced the death of this grandmother on Friday.

The Los Angeles Clippers center left the NBA bubble on July 17 to attend to a family matter. The Clippers declined to provide status updates on Harrell and opened bubble play on Thursday without him in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Harrell appeared to explain the family matter Friday in an Instagram story titled “I love U Grandma.”

Montrezl Harrell/IG
Montrezl Harrell/IG

“I don’t know how I’m do it but I got to find some way but losing you today isn’t going to make any day I wake up easy,” Harrell wrote.

Harrell alluded to visiting his grandmother in another Instagram story posted July 17, the day he left the bubble.

Harrell has not spoken publicly otherwise about his grandmother or whether she was suffering from COVID-19. He announced his grandmother’s death on the same day Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic announced that his grandmother was in a coma with COVID-19 and urged people to “wear the damn mask.”

Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns announced in April that his mother Jacqueline Towns died after contracting COVID-19.

Harrell’s status for the NBA bubble remains unclear. He did not opt out for the bubble league and has been expected to return to the Clippers lineup at some point.

Harrell comes off the bench, but is the Clippers’ most productive post player, averaging 18.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. He’s a leading candidate to win the Sixth Man of the Year Award and a key part of the Clippers rotation as they look to challenge for an NBA championship.

Assuming he does return to the bubble, he will have to quarantine at least four days until he’s allowed to join his teammates.

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