Erie BayHawks forward Jordan Bell has been dominant during the early stages of the 2021 G League bubble. Formerly of the Golden State Warriors, Bell is averaging 17.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.3 steals, and 2 blocks. These are impressive statistics, to say the least, but what makes it even more eye-catching is the 26-year-old’s field goal percentage.
Bell is shooting at an incredible 80% rate, and at present time, the BayHawks sit with a 5-1 record. Erie recently put together a dominant display to put an end to G League Ignite’s perfect record, with a 127-87 rout.
In the previous contest against the Long Island Nets, the 2018 NBA Champion put together a historic stat-line. One that few in G League history have been able or capable of mustering.
He finished the night with 17 points (8-9 FG), 16 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 5 blocks, in 30 minutes played. This came as his team recorded a 114-104 victory. The 6-foot-8 big man became only the 7th player in league history to notch at least 15 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 blocks in a game.
This stat line alone shows off the well-rounded skill set that Bell possesses. This is what has endeared him to numerous NBA teams over the course of his career to date.
With big men, they usually fall into certain tiers. The stretch five, the low post bruiser, the rim protector, the floor runner, and the rare point center. In Jordan Bell, the Erie Bayhawks seem to have found a player capable of doing all of the above, in abundance.
While there may be players in the G League bubble putting up better numbers in terms of points, assists, and rebounds, few are putting together as efficient a season as Bell. Even fewer are making every player on their team better by simply being there.
At the time of writing, the promising big is currently the 3rd-highest player in the entire league in Player Impact Estimate, at 21.5. It doesn’t stop there. Bell is 11th in Net Rating (22.0) and is 13th in Offensive Rebounds percentage (12.8). He also occupies the 7th spot in Effective Field Goal percentage, at 81.7%.
Jordan Bell is putting a season together that will surely draw the attention of NBA scouts.
His Pre-NBA Journey:
Jordan Bell was born in Los Angeles, California. He attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School, a school that to this very day he frequently visits to help out during the off-season. He has a passion for helping shape youngsters who grew up in the same environment in which he was in.
The California native then took his talents to the University of Oregon. As a freshman Bell averaged 5.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per contest. During the season, he was able to claim the single-season school record for blocks, with 94
As a redshirt sophomore, he averaged 7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks. In his redshirt junior season, Bell’s averages jumped up to 10.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks, as he led Oregon to the NCAA Final Four.
His NBA Career to Date:
Jordan Bell entered the 2017 NBA Draft, where he was selected with the 38th overall pick by the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls would later trade Bell to the Golden State Warriors for significant cash considerations ($3.5m).
On December 22, 2017, against the Los Angeles Lakers, Bell scored a career-high 20 points, on 9-for-13 shooting, alongside a career-high 10 rebounds. To finish the regular season as a rookie, Bell averaged 4.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1 block, in 57 games.
He then made his debut in the NBA Playoffs, coming off of the bench with 3 points and 2 rebounds, in a 113–92 win over the San Antonio Spurs. Golden State made it to the 2018 NBA Finals, where they would sweep the Cleveland Cavaliers in four games.
In the 2019 NBA Playoffs, the young prospect came off the bench and scored a playoff career-high 11 points to go with 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and a block in a 114-111 win.
He finally made his first career playoff start in a series-clinching win against the Portland Trail Blazers, contributing 7 points, 2 assists, and a steal. The Warriors reached the 2019 NBA Finals, but were defeated in 6 games by the Toronto Raptors.
After his time with the Warriors, Bell would initially sign with the Minnesota Timberwolves. But there began a time in which he would bounce from team to team, unable to find a long-term home.
Minnesota to Memphis. Memphis to the Capital City Go-Go. Capital City to Cleveland. Cleveland to Los Angeles. Los Angeles to Washington. Finally, Washington to the Erie Bayhawks.
To date, Bell has made 157 NBA appearances, with career averages of 3.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. This has been on 55.6% shooting from the field and in an average of 12.1 minutes per contest.
The G League Bubble has proven to be the perfect proving ground for Bell who has shown his versatile skillset to all.
It is a matter of when, then if, Jordan Bell will be picked up by an NBA team.
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