For many basketball players, young or old, the goal is to take their game to the next level. Whether it is a middle schooler with aspirations to be the next high school stud, a high schooler looking to become a star Division I student-athlete, or a college player dreaming of playing at the professional ranks, moving up is always the ambition. However, it is usually easier said than done.

Getting there is difficult. Maintaining that status is even harder. Just ask Troy Bell what life is like.

Bell, an All-American at Boston College who was named the Big East Player of the Year twice and was selected No. 16 overall in the 2003 NBA Draft, has had a successful career in Europe and South America. The 6-foot-1 point guard also knows a lot about the professional side of things.


The indirect message is simple: To those young players overlooking the moment in high school and college and are solely focused on what the future might hold, take a step back and cherish the time now. Nothing is guaranteed at the next level, and there will never be another time to enjoy the life of playing basketball without the business side coming into play.