James Bell (basketball)

Early life

James Bell, born on January 7, 1992, to James Mainor and Erika Bell, grew up in Plainfield, New Jersey, with his two younger brothers, Jayden and Justin. He later moved to Orlando, Florida, to attend Montverde Academy, where he played under coach Kevin Sutton. During his junior and senior years, Bell was named Lake County player of the year.

As a senior, he averaged 18.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, guiding Montverde to a 23–5 record and a national ranking. The Orlando Sentinel placed him on the first team all-area, while USA Today and Parade named him a third and fourth team All-American, respectively. Scout.com ranked him 78th in the 2010 recruiting class.

College career

As a freshman, Bell served as a backup to guards Corey Fisher, Corey Stokes, and Maalik Wayns. Stress fractures in his tibia required metal rods inserted in both legs, causing him to miss the first five games. He scored a season-high 21 points in a win over Seton Hall on February 15, 2011, averaging 2.4 points and 1.3 rebounds per game. In his sophomore season, Bell averaged 7.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game while shooting 36% from three-point range.

He recorded his first double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds in a loss to Louisville on January 25, 2012. A sprained ankle on February 15, 2012 derailed the rest of his sophomore year, and Villanova finished 13–19. As a junior, Bell posted averages of 8.3 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. Villanova went 11–2 when he scored more than 10 points.

He hit two three-pointers in overtime to help defeat Purdue 89–81 and made the winning three-pointer in a December 11 victory over Saint Joseph's. On January 26, 2013, he scored 13 points with consecutive three-pointers in overtime in a win over Syracuse. Villanova reached the NCAA tournament, where Bell scored four points against North Carolina.

Professional career

After going undrafted in the 2014 NBA draft, Bell joined the Charlotte Hornets for the 2014 NBA Summer League. He signed with Italian team Vanoli Cremona for the 2014–15 season on July 27, 2014. On July 11, 2015, Bell signed a one-year deal with French team SLUC Nancy. On October 31, 2015, he recorded a career-high 32 points on 13-of-21 shooting, along with four rebounds and two steals in a 104–108 loss to Pau-Orthez.

Hapoel Holon (2016–2017)

Bell signed with Israeli team Hapoel Holon for the 2016–17 season on August 3, 2016. On December 29, 2016, he recorded a season-high double-double of 29 points and 10 rebounds in a 100–93 win over Hapoel Gilboa Galil. In 37 games that season, he averaged 14.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game, earning two Israeli League Player of the Month honors and making the All-Israeli League First Team. Holon reached the 2017 Israeli League Playoffs as the first seed but were eliminated by Maccabi Haifa in the Quarterfinals.

Darüşşafaka (2017–2018)

Bell joined the Los Angeles Clippers for the 2017 NBA Summer League on June 30, 2017, then signed a one-year contract with Turkish team Darüşşafaka on July 15, 2017. A foot injury on March 6, 2018 ended his season; he averaged 9.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game across all competitions and won the 2018 EuroCup title with Darüşşafaka. On July 31, 2018, Bell signed with Croatian team Cedevita for the 2018–19 season, averaging 13.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 42.3% from three-point range.

He joined Budućnost Podgorica on December 21, 2018 for the rest of the season. On November 1, 2019, Bell signed a one-year deal with Partizan, but the contract was terminated after a few days due to failed medical examinations. He signed with Promitheas Patras on January 28, 2020, with New Basket Brindisi on July 11, 2020, and with Anwil Włocławek on July 8, 2021.

Did You Know?

• Bell was selected to the U.S. team for the 2011 FIBA Under-19 World Championship in Riga, Latvia, starting all nine matches.
• His best game for the U.S. under-19 team was a 16-point, eight-rebound performance in an 83–34 win over Canada.