NICKNAME/S: Ty

BIO: Tyrell Harrison was born in Brisbane (QLD).

NBL EXPERIENCE

Tyrell Harrison made his NBL debut with the Brisbane Bullets at 18 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

Beginning his career as a development player with the Bullets, Harrison averaged 0.4 points and 0.2 rebounds as the Bullets finished with a record of 9-19 and in eighth place during the regular season.

After finishing dead last in 2018, Brisbane said goodbye to Adam Gibson (to South East Melbourne), Shaun Bruce (to Sydney), and Anthony Petrie (retired) and went on a recruiting drive that brought in Boomers sharpshooter Cameron Gliddon (via Cairns), Jason Cadee (via Sydney), Matt Hodgson (via Adelaide), Tom Jervis (via Perth), and Mika Vukona (via New Zealand). The Bullets also welcomed back Rio Olympian and former Chicago Bull Cam Bairstow, who was returning after a knee reconstruction, added Makoto Hiejima under the NBL’s Asian Player rule, making him the first Japanese player to sign with an NBL team, and added NBA veteran Alonzo Gee (via Puerto Rico) as an import.

These key signings were meant to bolster Brisbane’s roster as they prepared for a tough start to the season, with 12 of their first 15 games coming against last season’s top-four playoff teams.

Four games into the season, Brisbane was forced to release Alonzo Gee (7.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists) after four matches when the veteran of 417 NBA games requested to go home to the US for “personal reasons.” A month later, import Stephen Holt (7.1 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists), concerned about his playing time (16.6 minutes per game), was granted a mutual release and left to pursue an opportunity in Europe. To fill the gap, Brisbane signed Lamar Patterson (via China) to replace Gee (October 2018) and Jeremy Kendle (6.0 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists) to cover the loss of Holt.

By January, Brisbane’s season had dropped to the middle of the ladder, with a 29-point loss to Cairns leaving them with a 9-9 record.

During this time, Nnanna Egwu (0 points, 2.3 rebounds) was brought in for three games as an injury replacement. Kendle’s contract was extended for the rest of the season, and rarely used Japanese guard Makoto Hiejima was replaced by import AJ Davis (4.1 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.3 assists), son of NBA legend Antonio Davis, to further improve the roster.

Despite limited opportunities, Tyrell Harrison (1.0 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 0.2 assists across 6 games) delivered several promising moments for the Bullets off the bench. His best performances included 4 points and 1 rebound against Illawarra (31 December 2018) and 2 points against Cairns (19 January 2019).

Alongside Harrison, Brisbane was led offensively by Lamar Patterson (17.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.3 steals), who was selected to the All-NBL First Team, Cam Bairstow (11.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists), and Reuben Te Rangi (9.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists), who won the league’s Most Improved Player and Sixth Man of the Year awards. Brisbane finished the regular season tied with Adelaide, both teams recording a 14-14 record. However, Brisbane secured the fourth spot due to a higher overall points percentage and advanced to the playoffs.

Perth went on to face Brisbane in the semi-finals, where Terrico White (19 points) and Bryce Cotton (22 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists) outclassed the Bullets in Game 1 (89–59). Cam Gliddon (18 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists) finished as Brisbane’s top scorer. In Game 2 (84–79), Terrico White (24 points and 3 rebounds) once again led Perth in scoring, while Bryce Cotton (19 points, 10 assists, and 3 rebounds) recorded his first career double-double. Despite strong efforts from Lamar Patterson (19 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals) and Matthew Hodgson (15 points and 2 blocks), Brisbane couldn’t stop Perth from advancing to the Grand Final to face Melbourne. Harrison saw minimal playing time in both games.

2019/20
The 2019/20 season saw Harrison average 1.3 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0 assists as the Bullets finished in fifth place in the regular season with a 15-13 record.

2020/21
Brisbane continued to struggle to build a solid foundation and culture in their fourth year since re-entering the league. The Bullets released Cam Gliddon (to South East Melbourne), Lamar Patterson (New Zealand), and Will Magnay (NBA), who signed a deal to play with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Entering the Bullets camp were rookie Tanner Krebs (St Mary’s – NCAA), Anthony Drmic and Harry Froling (both via Adelaide), as well as import signings Vic Law and Orlando Johnson.

The Bullets had put together a high-scoring side onto the floor, with Law (18.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.4 blocks) shooting the ball at 47% from the field and team captain Nathan Sobey (21.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.8 assists) shooting the ball at 46 FG%, and both finishing among the top five scorers in the league. A solid local frontcourt of Matthew Hodgson (10.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks), Harry Froling (8.0 points, 4.9 rebounds) and Harrison (5.2 points, 5.8 rebounds), who collected a career-high 18 rebounds in a game against Sydney, made sure the Bullets outrebounded most teams, finishing third in offensive rebounding and second in defensive rebounds across the league.

Brisbane showcased what they ‘could be’ in a win over Illawarra (97-91), where Law (29 points and 9 rebounds) and Sobey (18 points and seven assists) piled on the points, while Froling and Hodgson notched up 13 rebounds combined.

Memorable games for the team included a win against top-of-the-table Melbourne (96-88). Law (10 points, 15 rebounds, and 4 assists) delivered his best rebounding effort to date, and Hodgson (24 points in 27 minutes) had a season-high scoring night as well as a win over Perth (95-92), where Law (23 points and 5 rebounds) and Sobey (31 points and 4 assists) combined for 54 points—more than half the team’s score.

The high-scoring offence and strong rebounding still saw Brisbane (8-8) struggling to win half of their games. Orlando Johnson (6.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists) was released mid-March after posting average numbers across 15 games, a move which coincided with New Zealand releasing Lamar Patterson after a niggling knee injury and sluggish start to the season.

Patterson (14.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.5 steals) returned to Brisbane, overcame the knee injury, and set the stage for the Bullets to return to the playoffs, but a knee injury to Law in the very next game would rule him out for the rest of the season.

Brisbane (10-8) had been floating in and out of the top four, and while Sobey attempted to fill the void created by Law’s injury, the Bullets lost five of their next seven games, giving up an average of 90 points while putting up 80 of their own. This led to the mid-season signing of BJ Johnson (10.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.9 assists), who they hoped would help stem the bleeding, which it somewhat did, resulting in an 8-10 run to end the Bullets season.

Brisbane’s worst performance came against South East Melbourne (95-66) in Round 19. With Sobey injured, Brisbane struggled to score at all, only putting up 66 for their season low. Anthony Drmic (20 points) and Patterson (11 points) were the only players putting up more than six points.

Despite flashes of brilliance, Brisbane stumbled to a sixth-place finish at the end of the season (18-18) and failed to reach the playoffs.

2021/22
After finishing sixth the previous season, the Brisbane Bullets entered 2021/22 with a fresh start under new head coach James Duncan, who replaced Andrej Lemanis after five years at the helm. While the club briefly considered former player and assistant CJ Bruton, they ultimately handed the reins to Duncan, hoping to spark a turnaround.

Brisbane’s offseason reshuffle saw the return of Lamar Patterson, but the departure of key figures like Vic Law (to Perth) and BJ Johnson (to the NBA) meant the roster needed reinforcements. Local big men Matt Hodgson (to Perth), Harry Froling (to Illawarra), and Callum Dalton (to Melbourne) also moved on. To rebuild, Brisbane re-signed young center Tyrell Harrison and guard Jason Cadee on two-year deals and added a wave of international talent: Chuanxing Liu (China), Jack Salt (New Zealand), Deng Deng (South Sudan), French Next Star Tom Digbeu, and American import Robert Franks.

The season began with an overtime loss to the Tasmania JackJumpers (74–83) in their debut match, setting the stage for a challenging campaign. Close losses became a pattern, and by the halfway mark, Brisbane sat at 5–9. Injuries compounded the team’s struggles, with Tyrell Harrison (elbow) missing 11 games and star Nathan Sobey (knee) sidelined for 16. Robert Franks stepped up as the Bullets’ top scorer, averaging 18.2 points and earning the Leroy Loggins MVP Award, while Patterson (16.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists) and Sobey (16.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists) contributed heavily when available. Jason Cadee added 10.4 points and 4.9 assists, finishing fifth in the league in assists. Despite these bright spots, Brisbane’s defense faltered, conceding 89.3 points per game—the worst in the league—and committing 14.6 turnovers per game, which derailed their playoff hopes.

Tyrell Harrison solidified himself as a key piece in Brisbane’s frontcourt, averaging 6.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks across 17 games. While his elbow injury limited his availability, Harrison continued to provide crucial rim protection and rebounding when on the court. One of his season highlights came with a career-best 14-point performance against Illawarra, showcasing his improving offensive game and value as an interior anchor. Harrison’s season-best outings included 4 points and a block against Illawarra on January 18, 2 points and 2 rebounds against the Hawks on October 6, and a tough defensive showing with 3 rebounds and a block against Cairns on October 11. Although Brisbane finished eighth with a 10–18 record, missing the finals for a third straight year, Harrison’s growth remained a positive takeaway for the club’s future plans.

2022/23
After finishing second last the season prior, Brisbane loaded up by adding Boomers big man Aron Baynes and veteran guard Tyler Johnson, who had been teammates while playing in the NBA with Phoenix.

Devondrick Walker (via NBL1) was signed as a second import and local talent Harry Froling (via Illawarra), Gorjok Gak (via Europe), and DJ Mitchell (via NBL1), son of former Bullets import Mike Mitchell, were also brought into the squad to complement the returning core of Harrison, Jason Cadee, Tanner Krebs, and captain Nathan Sobey.

The Bullets’ off-season recruiting saw many in the media pencil them in as a top-four team. However, with Sobey coming back from a knee injury that had kept him on the sidelines for half of NBL22 and Baynes returning to the court after a neck injury suffered at the Olympics almost left him paralysed, many questioned their ability to stay healthy.

Six games into the season, the Bullets had yet to win a game. Baynes (11.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assists) was far from the NBA player he was 12 months earlier, and Sobey (15.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.6 assists) recorded his lowest numbers for points and rebounds in five years.

Brisbane then recorded back-to-back wins, both against Illawarra. The first victory (82-56) came on the back of a 17-point, 14-rebound effort from Baynes, and the second (86-61) was thanks to Sobey, who scored 14 first-quarter points and 22 first-half points, both career highs. The wins marked the first time Brisbane had won consecutive matches by at least 25 points since February 2007.

A two-point victory over a strong Tasmanian team (74-72) gave them a three-game winning streak. However, just when things started to look positive, the decision was made to release underperforming import Walker (9.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists) and fire head coach James Duncan.

Walker was replaced by Andrew White (7.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.7 assists), and Duncan was replaced by General Manager Sam Mackinnon as interim coach—a move that lasted just three games before assistant coach and former Townsville Crocodile Greg Vanderjagt took the reins for the remainder of the season. Unfortunately, the best of the Bullets’ season was behind them.

Reports of an untenable relationship between Bullets CEO Peter McLennan and Mackinnon became public. During that time, Brisbane suffered two catastrophic losses: a 37-point loss to New Zealand, which saw Sam Mackinnon suffer the biggest loss by a coach on debut since Alan Black in 1989, and the biggest defeat in the history of the NBL—a 49-point beating from Sydney. Brisbane finished second last again (8-20), with three of their eight wins coming against Illawarra, who recorded their worst season ever.

While Tyler Johnson (15.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 steals) was nominated for the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award (won by Barry Brown Jr), it was a season of massive underachievement individually and collectively, which saw a mass exodus of players at the end of the year.

Tyrell Harrison managed only 14 games, as injuries limited his playing time for the second straight season. When Harrison (4.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 0.4 assists) was on the court, he was highly efficient, shooting 82% from the field. His ability to play above the rim and his defensive presence remained key assets for the Bullets roster.

2023/24
In 2023, Tyrell Harrison re-signed with Brisbane on a two-year deal, solidifying his status as the longest-serving player on the Bullets roster.

“This is a great signing for our Club now and into the future,” Schueller said regarding Harrison’s re-signing. “Tyrell has shown that he is one of the most talented young big men in the league, and for him to lock back in as we move forward in the new direction with the Club is exciting. His shot-changing ability at the rim paired with his efficient ability to score are keys for us moving forward. It’s an exciting one-two punch with he and Baynsey together,” Schueller added.

Brisbane entered the 2023/24 season looking to improve after a disappointing 2022/23 campaign. With Harrison returning alongside Aron Baynes, the Bullets aimed to strengthen their frontcourt under Schueller’s new direction.

Despite these plans, Brisbane struggled early in the season, with inconsistent performances affecting their overall momentum. Harrison continued to provide a strong interior presence, showcasing his shot-blocking and rebounding abilities in limited opportunities.

Through the season, Harrison’s chemistry with Baynes improved, creating a formidable pairing in the paint. While Brisbane’s overall record remained a concern, Harrison’s contributions on both ends of the floor demonstrated his potential to be a cornerstone for the team’s future.

Harrison finished the season averaging [insert season stats if provided], reaffirming his value to the Bullets as they looked ahead to the next season.

2024/25
Head coach Justin Schueller entered his second season with a renewed roster focused on returning to playoff contention. Brisbane’s offseason began with the surprise jettisoning of face of the franchise Nathan Sobey, who had been with the club for seven seasons. Despite delivering one of the best years of his career in NBL24.

“Really this decision wasn’t about Nathan, but how we can continue to move forward as a club and build a true contender,” Schueller said. “We needed to lean more into our culture and bring in winners who can help us grow. We can’t shy away from Nathan’s production, but we also know there’s other areas we must improve if we want to win a championship.”

Alongside Sobey, Brisbane also farewelled Aron Baynes (retired), Chris Smith (to Japan), Shannon Scott (to Taiwan), and DJ Mitchell (to England). Mitch Norton was elevated to captain in Sobey’s absence, and the club re-signed Isaac White, Norton, Tyrell Harrison, and import forward Casey Prather. Young forward Josh Bannan also returned for his second NBL season. To refresh the squad, Brisbane added high-scoring import duo James Batemon and dynamic wing Keandre Cook. Former NBA player Deng Adel was given another NBL opportunity, and Tohi Smith-Milner arrived via Adelaide to bolster the frontcourt. Development players Kye Savage, Tristan Devers, and Josh Kunen rounded out the roster.

Brisbane opened the season with back-to-back road losses to New Zealand and Illawarra before finally breaking through in Round 4 with a thrilling 87–85 win over South East Melbourne, powered by Tyrell Harrison’s 21-point, 17-rebound double-double. Harrison continued his strong form through the first half of the season, posting three double-doubles in his first five appearances and dominating the glass. He followed that up with a 20-point, 15-rebound game in Round 9 against Adelaide and a further 18-rebound outing in Round 12 against the same opponent.

December marked Brisbane’s most productive stretch. Prather and Cook led a string of wins, but Harrison’s inside presence remained vital. His work on the offensive boards often created second-chance points and steadied the team during transition lulls. By Round 13, the Bullets had climbed to 9–8, keeping their finals hopes alive heading into the new year.

However, the season took a turn when injuries hit the squad hard. James Batemon went down with a season-ending hamstring tear in mid-December. Harrison, who had been enjoying a breakout campaign, suffered a concussion in January and was sidelined for the final six games of the regular season. His absence left a void in the paint, and the Bullets struggled defensively and on the boards. Jarred Bairstow, Josh Bannan, Sam McDaniel, and Deng Adel also missed significant time. Coach Schueller lamented the team’s fate, saying, “I don’t know if we can field a side right now,” after three players went down in one night on a slippery court in Gippsland.

To plug roster holes, Brisbane brought in Josh Adams and Emmett Naar mid-season, both of whom added short-term spark. Adams dropped 23 points and 7 rebounds in a January 26 game against Melbourne, but the team never regained its rhythm. Brisbane never rose higher than seventh on the ladder after the new year.

Harrison’s campaign ended with averages of 14.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 1.2 assists while shooting over 64% from the field. He led the league in rebounding and was named NBL Most Improved Player. His development as a consistent post presence was one of the major positives in an otherwise injury-plagued season for the Bullets.

Brisbane concluded the year eighth on the ladder with a 12–17 record. Casey Prather (21.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.1 steals) finished third in league scoring, earned Club MVP honours, and was selected to the All-NBL First Team. Keandre Cook (16.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.7 steals) topped the league in steals while hitting 2.5 threes per game. Josh Bannan (13.2 points, 8.6 rebounds) was named NBL Youth Player of the Year. James Batemon averaged 15.5 points and 2.8 assists across 16 games before injury.

Captain Mitch Norton (7.4 points, 2.9 assists) played all 29 games and was awarded the Bullets’ Defensive Player and Players’ Player honours. Isaac White averaged 6.6 points off the bench, with Tohi Smith-Milner (5.1 points), Rocco Zikarsky (4.6 points), and Deng Adel (4.7 points) contributing in limited roles.

Tyrell Harrison currently plays for the Brisbane Bullets and has played 156 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 8.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 0.7 assists since entering the league in 2017.

CURRENT CONTRACT:

Brisbane Bullets – 2 Year Deal (2025-27)