Raja Bell

Raja Bell
Raja Bell
Born	September 19, 1976 (age 50); Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Occupation(s)	Retired professional basketball player, sports executive, podcast host
Years active	1999–2014 (playing career), 2014–2015 (executive), 2020–present (media)
Known for	NBA player, NBA All-Defensive Team selections, Director of Player Development for Cleveland Cavaliers, podcast host at The Ringer

Raja Dia Bell (born September 19, 1976) is a retired American professional basketball athlete. Throughout his NBA career, he played for the Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, Charlotte Bobcats, and Golden State Warriors. Bell earned recognition twice by being named to the NBA All-Defensive Team.

During the 2014–15 season, he took on the role of director of player development for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Currently, Bell hosts a podcast affiliated with The Ringer.

Early life and college career

Originally from Saint Croix, Bell was raised near Miami, Florida. He attended Ponce de Leon Junior High, followed by Gulliver Academy and Miami Killian Senior High School. Bell began his collegiate basketball journey at Boston University, where he was honored as the North Atlantic Conference Freshman of the Year. After completing his sophomore year, he transferred to Florida International University (FIU) in Miami to finish his junior and senior seasons. Despite his college achievements, he was not selected in the 1999 NBA draft.

Yakima Sun Kings (1999–2000)

Bell launched his professional career with the Yakima Sun Kings in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). During his tenure, he helped secure a CBA championship in 2000 and earned a spot on the CBA All-Rookie Team.

Philadelphia 76ers (2001–2002)

Although Bell signed with the San Antonio Spurs in 2000, he never appeared in a game for them. Subsequently, in April 2001, he joined the Philadelphia 76ers initially on two consecutive 10-day contracts before securing a contract for the remainder of that season. Bell made significant contributions during the 2001 Eastern Conference Finals and participated in all five games of the 2001 NBA Finals. In the following 2001–02 season, he played 74 games, averaging 3.4 points per contest and appeared in three playoff games.

Dallas Mavericks (2002–2003)

In October 2002, Bell signed as a free agent with the Dallas Mavericks. Over 75 games, including 32 starts, he averaged 3.1 points per game. His playoff performance improved notably, averaging 5.7 points and 3.0 rebounds across 17 games as Dallas advanced to the Western Conference Finals.

Utah Jazz (2003–2005)

Bell signed with the Utah Jazz in September 2003, experiencing his most productive stretch in the NBA at that time. He participated in all 82 games during the 2003–04 season, achieving career-best averages of 11.2 points and 2.9 rebounds per game despite limited starts. The next season saw him play only 63 games but improve his stats to an average of 12.3 points and 3.2 rebounds per contest.

Phoenix Suns (2005–2008)

In August 2005, Bell joined the Phoenix Suns, becoming an essential player alongside star guard Steve Nash. He started every one of the Suns’ 79 games that season, posting a personal best average of 14.7 points and connecting on a career-high 44.2% from beyond the three-point line. Bell was chosen for the 2006 NBA Three-Point Shootout but had to withdraw due to a family emergency.

During the 2006 NBA Playoffs, Bell was involved in a notable incident after fouling Kobe Bryant, which led to his ejection and a one-game suspension; nevertheless, Phoenix won that series. He delivered a pivotal three-pointer against the Los Angeles Clippers to force double overtime in a subsequent round. Despite suffering a calf injury during the Western Conference Finals, Bell returned to help even the series before Phoenix eventually fell to Dallas.

In January 2007, Bell received a one-game suspension without pay following an altercation involving kicking Andrea Bargnani. He concluded the 2006–07 campaign tied for first place league-wide with Gilbert Arenas by making 205 three-point shots.

Charlotte Bobcats (2008–2009)

On December 10, 2008, Bell was traded to the Charlotte Bobcats along with Boris Diaw and Sean Singletary in exchange for Jason Richardson, Jared Dudley, and a 2010 second-round draft selection, as the Suns adjusted their lineup. This move came after a lackluster beginning to Bell's season, where he averaged only 9.6 points per game and experienced a diminished role under coach Terry Porter.

Golden State Warriors (2009–2010)

Bell was traded to the Golden State Warriors on November 16, 2009, alongside Vladimir Radmanović in return for Stephen Jackson and Acie Law. He appeared in just one game for Golden State, scoring 11 points while making all three of his three-point shots. Bell was released on March 22, 2010. This transaction played a significant role in allowing Stephen Curry to establish himself as the Warriors’ long-term point guard, as Curry had been benched in favor of Acie Law prior to the trade.

Return to Utah (2010–2013)

On July 14, 2010, Bell rejoined the Utah Jazz by signing a three-year contract worth $10 million. However, after two seasons, his relationship with the organization deteriorated. By mutual consent, he spent much of the 2012–13 season away from the team despite still being under contract. Bell was waived by Utah on March 10, 2013.

Retirement

Bell officially announced his retirement from professional basketball on February 13, 2014.

Executive

On October 1, 2014, Bell was appointed Director of Player Administration by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He stepped down from this position in September 2015 to prioritize family obligations.

Sports media

In August 2020, Bell began co-hosting The Ringer NBA Show alongside Logan Murdock.

Personal life and family

Bell married Cindy Greenman in July 2004. Their first child, Dia, was born on May 2, 2007—just hours before Game 5 of the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs. The Suns won that game 119–110 to clinch the series 4–1. Their second child, Tai Brooklyn, arrived on November 8, 2008.

Bell’s sister, Tombi Bell, is a former WNBA player and served as head coach for the Miami Hurricanes women's basketball team. Raja Bell has maintained a vegetarian diet since he was two years old.

On June 17, 2024, Bell’s son Dia committed to play football at the University of Texas at Austin and is recognized as one of the top quarterbacks in the high school recruiting class of 2026.

Social media

Bell created his verified Instagram account (@rajadia19) in 2014. In July 2020, he launched a Twitter account (@RajaBell19), which references his NBA jersey number. Although he actively uses Twitter, he had not obtained verification by mid-2022.

Regular season

|- | align="left" | | align="left" | Philadelphia | 5 || 0 || 6.0 || .286 || .333 || .000 || .2 || .0 || .2 || .0 || 1.0 |- | align="left" | | align="left" | Philadelphia | 74 || 12 || 12.0 || .429 || .273 || .750 || 1.5 || 1.0 || .3 || .1 || 3.4 |- | align="left" | | align="left" | Dallas | 75 || 32 || 15.6 || .441 || .412 || .676 || 1.9 || .8 || .7 || .1 || 3.1 |- | align="left" | | align="left" | Utah | 82 || 4 || 24.6 || .409 || .373 || .786 || 2.9 || 1.3 || .8 || .2 || 11.2 |- | align="left" | | align="left" | Utah | 63 || 32 || 28.4 || .454 || .403 || .747 || 3.2 || 1.4 || .7 || .1 || 12.3 |- | align="left" | | align="left" | Phoenix | 79 || 79 || 37.5 || .457 || .442 || .788 || 3.2 || 2.6 || 1.0 || .3 || 14.7 |- | align="left" | | align="left" | Phoenix | 78 || 78 || 37.4 || .432 || .413 || .776 || 3.2 || 2.5 || .6 || .3 || 14.7 |- | align="left" | | align="left" | Phoenix | 75 || 75 || 35.3 || .421 || .401 || .868 || 3.7||2.2|| .7|| .4||11.9 |- | align="left" | | align="left" | Phoenix |22||22||32.4||.429||.468||.762||2.9||1.3||.6||.1||9.6 |- | align="left" | | align="left" | Charlotte |45||44||35.6||.440||.395||.877||4.0||2.5||.8||.1||13.0 |- | align="left" | | align="left" | Charlotte |5||5||31.4||.436||.375||1.000|||4.2||2.0||.8||.4||12.0 |- | align="left" | | align="left" | Golden State |1||0||23.0|||.667|||.1000|||0|||2|||3|||0|||0|||11 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-

External links