In a matter of months Jordan Bell went from rookie sensation starting for the defending World Champions to an end of the bench, out of rotation player for the Warriors with little to no explanation. Bell suffered an ankle injury in January and never quite returned to his starting spot afterwards, eventually Kevon Looney usurped his would be minutes in the first two rounds of the NBA playoffs.
Now, it seems he may have worked his way back into the rotation and apparently he has the wisdom of Kevin Durant to thank for that.
Bell spoke to NBC Sports, and revealed that a “deep” conversation with Durant humbled him, and inspired a work ethic that has him on the cusp of returning to the Warriors rotation.
“On the plane back, KD came over and sat next to me,” Bell recalled to NBC Sports Bay Area. “And we were talking about hoops and how much he loves it. It was a deep conversation. It made me look at him totally differently. It was like, ‘Damn, this dude really loves basketball.’ Everybody around here says they love playing basketball, but he was saying he wants to die playing basketball. I never felt that way; I want to die in my sleep, something peaceful. He loves it on a totally different level.
Bell had taken “shortcuts” in his ascent to the starting lineup, skipping optional practices and slacking off, losing the trust of his teammates and causing the coaching staff to wonder if he had taken his success for granted.
“I know how young guys have to adjust and I had wanted him to figure it out on his own,” Durant said. “Let him see how he wanted to approach games and practices. And like a lot of young players, you’re trying to figure out the balance. I just told him that no matter if you play or not, your work ethic and your commitment to the game has to stay the same.”
Bell could be a key cog for the Warriors as they face the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals. He has only played 36, garbage-time minutes for the Warriors thus far in the playoffs, but against the Rockets, his ability to defend multiple positions and play with energy will be an asset if the head coach Steve Kerr decides to lean on him.