Former Mississippi State, West Virginia and Saint Louis basketball player Jimmy Bell Jr. is back in the transfer portal for a fourth time in six years. However, he is seeking new opportunity in college football.
The 6-foot-10 big is going to try and carve out a career on the gridiron instead of entering the NBA Draft pool or hooping overseas!
Bell, a native of Michigan, played both basketball and football at Arthur Hill High School in Saginaw before transferring to Bella Vista in Scottsdale, Arizona to focus solely on basketball. He was more than 350 pounds upon arrival and dropped about 80 pounds to play at 290 as a senior.
His decision to focus on the hardwood paid off!
Bell received a scholarship to St. Louis and played two years for the Bilikins. Although he started every game as a freshman (except for senior night), his usage declined as a sophomore so he transferred down to the junior college level.
One strong season at Moberly Area Community College led him to West Virginia in 2022/23. Bell started all 34 games for Bob Huggins and was a dominant force on the glass. However, he found himself back in the transfer portal after Huggins was fired.
Before leaving Morgantown, Bell reached an agreement to join the football team for spring practice.
Jimmy Bell Jr. put on the pads!
The big power forward returned to the sport he had not played since his junior year of high school.
I had great feet and I was so big when I was playing football. I was like 6-foot-8 and about 370 pounds when I was in the 10th grade, so I was a big guy. Great feet, great hands at left tackle.
I think that transferred to basketball.
I miss football. I talk to some of the football players and they’re like “if you don’t want to play basketball anymore, we could use a left tackle.”
— Jimmy Bell Jr. in April of 2023
Not long thereafter, he landed at Mississippi State. Bell was one of five players to appear in all 35 games for the Bulldogs last season and averaged five points, 4.9 rebounds and 0.6 blocks.
The college basketball season wrapped up in March so the fifth-year senior once again joined the football team for the spring practice period.
Jeff Lebby was thrilled to have Bell!
However, the first-year head coach did not have him for long. He is back in the transfer portal as an offensive lineman.
Bell had a few Group of Five scholarship offers as a three-star football recruit out of high school. Michigan and Michigan State hosted him on visits before he transitioned to basketball full-time.
There is a college football program out there that is going to take a flier on Jimmy Bell Jr. and be pleasantly surprised by the return!