Golden State Warriors rookie Jordan Bell has yet to hit the hardcourt for an official NBA game, but he’s already been struck with awe at the basketball capabilities of LeBron James. Speaking to Monte Poole of CSN Bay Area, Bell narrated the one time he shared the basketball court with the four-time league MVP. Although he’s seen James play countless times on TV, it still surprised the former Oregon Duck how seriously good at basketball James is.
“We had an open gym in LA, at UCLA, and I was guarding him the whole time,” Bell recalled of a session last month. “It’s different than what you see on TV. It’s waaaay different.”
Based on Bell’s story, James came across to the 22-year-old forward as someone who’s inexplicably too mobile for a man who possesses a 6-foot-8, 260-pound frame. James’ ability to shift speeds without changing into a running stance particularly impressed Bell.
“It’s crazy how big he is, how quick he is for his size and how smart he is,” Bell recalled. “He was standing straight up, and I’m thinking he can’t go by me if he’s standing straight up. I’m in a good defensive stance. He’s not crouching.
In his opinion, however, Bell thinks that he fared well during the times he tried to defend James.
“I thought I did a pretty good job on him, but he obviously hit some shots,” Bell said. “But he would get on the block, and I’m containing him, not letting him back me down, and he would fade away from the block to the 3-point line — and make it. And I just played the best defense of my life. It didn’t matter.”
Bell, who was drafted 38th overall by the Chicago Bulls in the second round of this year’s draft and had his draft rights acquired by the Warriors, could charge this face-to-face with LeBron James to experience that he might find very useful, especially if the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Warriors meet for a fourth straight NBA Finals.