Indiana Mad Ants center Jordan Bell leaves team for international opportunity

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Mad Ants, the G League affiliate of the Indiana Pacers, announced this past weekend that center Jordan Bell is leaving the program to join a new team for an international opportunity.

Bell, who averaged 11.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game for the Mad Ants this season, is joining the Guangdong Southern Tigers in China. He played in 39 games for the Mad Ants this season, and the team was 28-11 when he suited up. It was his second season playing for the Pacers G League squad.

He joined the Pacers briefly on an Exhibit 10 contract last summer but was waived before training camp began. Bell also spent time playing for Team USA last month for Men’s AmeriCup Qualifying play.

"They're just good dudes," Mad Ants head coach Tom Hankins said of Bell and Elfrid Payton earlier this season. "They really kind of lead things... They play defense first, they're both great defenders. So everybody just kind of jumps in line."

Bell holds the Mad Ants franchise record for blocks and was a key veteran this season. It's a major loss for the G League club, who is currently in a playoff position in the Eastern Conference.

Bell also has five seasons of NBA experience. He averaged 3.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in 161 outings for five different franchises, and the 29-year old won a championship in 2018 with the Golden State Warriors.

"[Bell] embodies our 'Embrace the Grind' mentality and has been a foundational piece of our team's success so far this season. His extremely unselfish play, veteran leadership in the locker room, intensity on the court, commitment to culture, and his willingness to sacrifice for the betterment of the group epitomizes being a professional," Mad Ants general manager Chris Taylor said in a team-issued statement. "We appreciate everything he has done for our franchise and the knowledge he shared along the way. While his impact is already missed, we wish him all the best in his next opportunity. We know he will continue making us proud, no matter what jersey he is wearing."

The Mad Ants needed to replace Bell, so they grabbed Daniel Giddens from the available player pool. The big man has experience with several G League teams, and he was with Indiana earlier this season. He did not appear in a game during that period.

Just before their trade deadline, the Mad Ants made another move. They traded their 2025 G League Draft first-round pick to the Memphis Hustle for Cameron McGriff. McGriff is averaging 7.0 points per game in two appearances for the Mad Ants so far. He has previous overseas pro experience and played in three games with the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2021-22 NBA season.

Between all of those moves, Kendall Brown signing an NBA contract, and Quenton Jackson agreeing to a two-way deal with the Pacers, the Mad Ants roster looks much different. They will hope to earn a playoff spot for the second-straight season and have six more regular season games in 2024.