Source: Mississippi State center Jimmy Bell joining Bulldog football team
On Tuesday afternoon a familiar face was spotted observing the end of Mississippi State’s spring practice. That familiar face was Mississippi State basketball center Jimmy Bell and turns out, he was doing more than just observing.
Confirmed by a Mississippi State source, Bell will join the Bulldog football team on Thursday to begin spring drills. Bell recently concluded his college basketball eligibility in the NCAA Tournament but has one year of eligibility remaining in football if he remains on that course.
The 6-foot-10 and 280-pound Bell is a former West Virginia transfer who also went through football practices during his lone year at West Virginia. In the 2022-23 basketball season, Bell started all 34 games for West Virginia and helped lead the Mountaineers to an NCAA Tournament berth.
Mississippi State football head coach Jeff Lebby began his first spring session in Starkville two weeks ago. Bell is expected to practice with State’s offensive line group.
Bell transferred to Mississippi State last summer and this past season, he played in all 35 games for head coach Chris Janes and his staff, including 16 starts. Bell averaged 5.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and had 20 blocked shots while helping lead Mississippi State to its second straight NCAA Tournament. The consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances was a first for the Bulldog program since accomplishing that feat in 2008-09.
The Bulldogs finished the 2023-24 campaign with a 21-14 record and finished the season with a first-round loss to Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament in Charlotte, N.C.
Bell began his college career at St. Louis where he spent two seasons, and started 30 of 31 games for St. Louis in the 2019-20 season. The Michigan native spent one season in the juco ranks before making his way to West Virginia.
