Troy Bell was selected by the Celtics with the 16th overall choice in the 2003 NBA Draft. At Boston College, he excelled as an athlete and had a promising career in the NBA. His veterans embraced him into the league from the moment he joined the Grizzlies.
Bell didn’t bother with the usual rookie tasks, like grabbing doughnuts before practice or carrying baggage. However, when the team’s antics got out of control, things grew heated.
On the Scorer’s Society podcast, Bell stated: “They invited us to some restaurant. I wasn’t even trying to go. I get there and order a salad. They ordered up all this stuff that they weren’t going to eat. The bill is like $1000. They tried to hand it to me. I’m not paying for this $1000 bill, I got a salad.”
Bell was upset by the restaurant incident, but his feelings for the squad only became worse. Soon after, the veterans planned a practical joke that involved his car and an excessive quantity of popcorn. Bell almost snapped.
Bell stated: “They got me with popcorn, and that almost got me in jail. I guess they open your sunroof and take those circus bags of popcorn and dump those through the roof. They weren’t really treating anybody good back then,”
Bell’s NBA career ended after just one season, possibly due in large part to his poor relationships with his teammates. He names Kevin Garnett as the best example of leadership for rookies and says he doesn’t harbor resentment toward all veterans.
