Morgantown, West Virginia – Jimmy Bell, Jr., a 6’10 280 pound forward/center out of Saginaw, Michigan, has been on campus at West Virginia University over the weekend, taking in the facilities, meeting with players and coaches and learning more about the basketball program.
Bell, who averaged 9.3 points and 9.1 rebounds per game for junior college Moberly last season, impressed Bob Huggins and his coaching staff enough that they recently offered a scholarship to play for the Mountaineers.
Before playing at Moberly, Bell played at Saint Louis as a freshman and sophomore, where he averaged 3.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Although his numbers are less than spectacular, Huggins believes Bell is a player that he can mold into a powerful Big 12 interior player.
Bell also holds offers from East Tennessee State, Oakland and Sam Houston State.
While it’s important for Huggins to add size to his roster, Bell is a curious addition to the team. West Virginia needs a player who can step in and contribute offensively tomorrow, not a project.
Remember, Huggins whiffed on the two interior projects he signed out of junior college last season, Pauly Paulicap and Dimon Carrigan, who added very little to the team offensively. With only James Okonkwo returning and junior college forward Mohamed Wague joining the team, Bell will likely be forced to play an important role for the Mountaineers next season.
Bell has two full years of eligibility remaining. He has already visited East Tennessee State and has no other visits currently scheduled. Although nothing is certain, the writing is on the wall. Jimmy Bell, Jr. will soon commit to play for the West Virginia Mountaineers.
