Former 'Flintstone' Charlie Bell eyeing college coaching gig, leaning on Izzo
Cody Tucker
Understanding.
Fire.
Emotion.
Effectiveness.
That's what Charlie Bell says he'll bring to the college coaching ranks one day.
Sound familiar?
The former Spartan, best known for helping bring the program its second national title in 2000 as a member of “The Flintstones,” had a good teacher back then. And he isn’t afraid to admit that he plans on stealing as much of Tom Izzo’s coaching style as possible.
“It works, doesn’t it?” Bell laughed.
Bell and Izzo stood on the sideline at Breslin Center Tuesday evening, surrounded by hundreds of young hoopsters at the annual four-day MSU basketball camp, smiling, chatting and plotting.
“I want to be like Izzo one day,” Bell said, sitting 20 rows up from center court. “He is making some calls for me. I want to use every advantage I have.”
Wearing a navy blue, collared shirt with a Texas Legends logo on the chest and dress pants, Bell had just come from what might be the most important job interview of his life.
He called it an informal meeting, but he knew the previous few hours could dictate where he and his new bride, Khanna, reside in the foreseeable future.
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“It might take some adjusting to the weather for her,” Bell laughed, referring to the possibility of him landing an assistant coaching job at Oakland University, replacing Drew Valentine, brother of former MSU great and current Chicago Bulls star, Denzel Valentine.
OU Head coach Greg Kampe "said if a spot ever opens up, we’ll talk. That’s what we did.”
Izzo calls Bell the best rebounding guard he ever coached. He also said he has the rare talent of not only playing both sides of the floor, but excelling. Izzo thinks he can translate that to the sidelines.
"I think Charlie could be a great coach, because he was one of the more intelligent players that I've had," Izzo said. "If it works out, I think that would be awesome."
After an 11-year professional basketball career, which included NBA stops in Dallas, Milwaukee and Golden State and a handful of seasons in Europe, Bell broke into coaching in 2016, assisting the Mavericks Development League team in Frisco, Texas.
He wasn’t allowed to travel with the squad, but he did everything else, he said. Last season, Bell spent nights pouring over scouting reports, reading defenses and running drills.
He was on a 1-year contract with the Legends. He might have the opportunity to go back to the Metroplex. But today, his focus was on the possibility of becoming a college coach in his home state.
“I want to come in, build relationships and learn from one of the best,” Bell said of Kampe, who has been OU’s head coach for 33 years, making him the third longest-tenured coach in the country behind only Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim (41) and Mike Krzyzewski (37) of Duke. “I really want a college job, but it’s tough getting your foot in the door.”
The possibilities even have Bell daydreaming a bit. What would it be like to recruit against Izzo in the state of Michigan?
“I think it would be fun,” Bell said with a smile. “I know he’s the man, but I think I could steal a few guys here and there.”
Izzo laughed, adding "That would be great. That would mean he’s in a good position. If he gets into college and works his way up, maybe he will be here and then I don’t have to worry about him recruiting against me but for me."
Bell's much-anticipated meeting with Kampe wasn’t the sole purpose of his latest trip to East Lansing. His son, Charlie Bell Jr., 13, is competing in the team camp down on the Breslin hardwood. It’s his fourth straight trip to the Spartans summer camp.
“He loves it. This is what got him into basketball, not me,” Bell said. “He couldn’t wait to get to camp.”
Bell’s son lives in Miami with his mother, former Miss Michigan and reality television star, Kenya Bell.
Bell said he visits his son as much as he can, but admits that coming “home” to watch his son play hoops is a highlight for him. It’s not lost on him that Charlie Jr. is running down the same court that he and fellow Flint natives Mateen Cleaves, Antonio Smith and Morris Peterson did back in the day.
The 2000 national championship banner that hangs high in the rafters is another reminder.
“It’s been great to be able to show my son around,” Bell said. “It’s cool for him because I was young when I played (pro) basketball. Here, he gets to see old pictures and banners and know that his dad was pretty good.”
Charlie Jr., who plays for Team Nike, an AAU team in Florida, has come a long way since his first camp, Bell laughed.
“He looked terrible at first,” Bell joked. “People were saying ‘That’s your son?”
All kidding aside, his son now wears the same size shoe, has bigger hands and glides to the hoop like his old man once did. Bell said one thing his son hasn’t perfected yet is the tenacity it takes on the defensive end of the court. But he is confident that will come with experience.
Is he getting any offers from Izzo yet?
“Not yet. I have to stay on him or we will be taking our talents elsewhere,” Bell joked. “Maybe to Michigan camp next season.”
Izzo has gotten a chance to watch Charlie Jr., plenty over the years. He has skills, but one thing might be holding him back, according to Izzo.
"We will take a good look at him, and I'll tell Charlie that I don’t know if he can overcome his heredity," Izzo laughed.
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Whether it comes to recruiting his own son or the next great Flint player, Bell said he plans to take the same approach his mentor did with him many years ago.
“Bottom line is, I knew Izzo would make me a better player and person,” he said. “He didn’t tell me what I wanted to hear, he told me what I needed to hear. That’s why I fell in love with him and this place.”
Izzo is still preaching those words.
Whether Bell gets a job in the pros or in the college ranks, Izzo said, he will have to put in the work and battle adversity. That's nothing new for the kid from Flint.
"I think its pretty neat," Izzo said of Bell's aspirations. "He's been through a lot and battled his way through. He seems to really have a mission now of what he wants to accomplish. I'm trying to help him in any way I can.".
Contact Cody Tucker at (517) 377-1070 or cjtucker@lsj.com and follow him on Twitter @CodyTucker_LSJ.