Interview conducted by Kelsey Burr

ORLANDO, Fla. (April 2023) -- Raja Bell played in the NBA for 12 years, from 2001 through 2013. Now, when he's not hosting the NBA Podcast on Ringer, he coaches his AAU-member basketball team, RB Elite. At the 2023 AAU Easter Classic, he coached his team to a championship in the 14U/8th grade division.

How was your experience at the AAU Easter Classic?
AAU always puts on a first-class production. Wide World of Sports – there’s no better venue to play in. We’ve been coming up for the last four years. We come to every event we can.

Why did you decide to start your own AAU club?
I have three young boys, and down in South Florida at the time there was a lack of grassroots, fundamental teaching on the basketball side. And so I decided that if I was going to sit in the stands and complain, I might as well get out there and lend a hand and try to teach kids and give back to the game that was so good to me.



Why is it important for kids to play AAU?
Well, I think AAU is important because there are a lot of different options to play in, a lot of them don’t have the same type of organization, they don’t put stock in the same type of quality refs and quality sportsmanship, and general overall teaching and organization. So in terms of events, the way they’re run, and the experience that you get at them, I think AAU is first-class. So that’s why we play AAU Nationals, we come up and support around Easter, Memorial Day.

What kind of fundamentals do you try to teach your kids on – and off – the court?
Believe it or not, we are a defensive-first team. We believe in good solid team man-to-man defense, help side, unselfishness – both offensively and defensively. Offensively, we preach getting off the ball, ball movement, giving up a good shot to get a great one. All the things that I was taught growing up.



What advice would you give to young players looking to make it to the NBA?
Have your dream, be willing to work and sacrifice for that dream. Prioritize what’s important – which is learning, at this age. It’s not all about the points and the wins, but it’s about learning and growing your game and being able to develop in a program that’s supportive. And if you ever reach an obstacle, a hurdle, or someone tells you “no” – don’t take that for an answer. Keep working.