Police in Australia said Friday that a man has been arrested and charged for racially abusing a professional National Basketball League (NBL) player online.

Although neither police nor the club has identified the player in question, Australian media have widely reported the alleged victim as Montrezl Harrell, an American basketball player who played eight seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

In a statement, police in the state of Victoria said detectives had "arrested and charged a 37-year-old Huntingdale man who allegedly sent racist messages to the player's personal social media account."

The man has been charged with using "a carriage service" — meaning a phone, email or social media — "to menace, harass and/or offend," police said. He has been released on bail and is due to appear at a Melbourne court on August 15.

What do we know about the case?

The messages in question were sent after a match at Melbourne's John Cain Arena between Melbourne United and the Adelaide 36ers on November 17, 2024, which saw fans thrown out following clashes with players from Adelaide.

"The man charged is not connected to any fans ejected during this game," police said.

Harrell, 31, was drafted in 2015 by the Houston Rockets and made his name with the Los Angeles Clippers. He also played for the Los Angeles Lakers, the Washington Wizards, the Charlotte Hornets and the Philadelphia 76ers before joining Adelaide for the 2024-2025 season.

'A landmark moment' in fight against social media abuse

In a statement, Basketball Australia (BA) said the arrest was made after it had "collaborated with Victoria Police to secure the first-ever successful arrest of a person in Australian basketball on charges of racially abusing an athlete via social media," calling the arrest "a landmark moment."

"Every athlete deserves to compete in a safe environment, free from abuse. There are laws in place to govern appropriate behavior toward athletes, and it's important the public understands that," BA said.

It added that "taking a stand" against hateful messages "sends a clear message of zero tolerance and helps drive the cultural change needed to create a safe sport and respectful environment for everyone."

What has the club said?

The Adelaide 36ers said it would not comment on the incident as it was now a criminal matter.

But the club did say the player who had allegedly received the racist messages "is aware of the arrest and is comfortable with the way the matter has been handled."

The club also praised Victoria Police and Basketball Australia's Integrity Unit "for their strong stance in pursuing this matter."

"The club will continue to call out racism and remains committed to ensuring it provides and is part of an inclusive, welcoming and safe environment for players, staff and fans," the team concluded.

Edited by: Louis Oelofse