Getty Jordan Bell defends Trevelin Queen during a 2021 preseason bout between the Golden State Warriors and the LA Lakers.
The Golden State Warriors have settled on the players who will round out their roster for opening night as Ty Jerome and Anthony Lamb were given two-way deals with the club. Meanwhile, on the literal other side of the world, an old Dubs favorite has finally settled in with his new team in China.
Namely, forward-center and 2018 NBA champion Jordan Bell.
On October 13, the CBA’s Guangzhou Loong Lions officially announced Bell as their newest member. The 27-year-old reportedly came to terms on a deal with the team — which also signed former Warrior Jeremy Lin — back in early September.
Once Bell actually signed on the dotted line with his new club, though, it didn’t take him long to get going — he was on the court the following night. And now, after having played in a pair of games with Guangzhou, the journeyman big man already looks like he’ll be one of the best all-around ballers in the league this season.
Bell Has Been Lighting It Up in the CBA
Bell’s first taste of CBA action came against the Sichuan Blue Whales, and the ex-Warrior played a key role in helping the Loong Lions escape the contest with their first win of the new campaign. In 32 minutes of action, he put up 14 points and added nine rebounds, six assists, four steals and three blocked shots.
And while Guangzhou came up just short in its Sunday bout with the Shanxi Loongs, Bell was similarly impactful with his performance, logging 16 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists, two steals and a block in 31 minutes on the court.
During the 2021-22 campaign, imports TJ Leaf and Nate Mason led the Loong Lions to a 23-15 record and a playoff berth. Should Bell continue to stuff the stat sheet as the season progresses, they’ll have an opportunity to take another big step forward in 2022-23.
Bell has been doing his thing since the summer, balling out for Team USA during July’s World Cup qualifying leg and then leading Chpt 562 to a 7-3 record in the Drew League and earning Defensive Player of the Year honors for his efforts.
Of course, none of this should be surprising to the card-carrying members of Dub Nation.
Bell Made a Bit of a Splash as a Dubs Rookie
After starring at Oregon, Bell spent his rookie year with the Warriors in 2017-18. Along the way, he appeared in 57 games, starting in 13 of them and playing heavy minutes in multiple others when injuries forced head coach Steve Kerr’s hand. He made his minutes count, too, putting up 11.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.5 blocks and 1.6 steals per 36 minutes.
His most memorable moment, though, probably came against LeBron James and the Cavs in Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals. In 12 minutes off the bench, Bell scored 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting, snagged six boards and blocked a shot to help the Dubs secure the W and a 3-0 series lead.
In addition to earning a ring, he secured another year in the Bay Area with his play.
Since departing from Golden State after the 2018-19 campaign, however, Bell has led the life of a hardwood vagabond. He has done time with four other NBA teams, returned briefly to the Dubs in 2020-21 and also played for three G League teams (including the Sea Dubs last season) over the last three years.