GREAT FALLS — On Wednesday, a former Chinook standout took to social media to announce that he'll be heading overseas to continue playing basketball.
Ethan Bell signed to play semi-professional basketball with Rome City Institute in Italy, where he'll also be continuing higher education.
Bell, who currently attends — and played for — Crowley's Ridge College in Paragould, Ark., at the NAIA level, met with MTN Sports via zoom to discuss the signing, and the journey it took to achieve this.
"I had the graphic for about a couple days now. I had known for some time now. It was just so surreal," Bell said on Wednesday. "If you ask my mom, I've honestly wanted this since I was a little, little boy. I wouldn't want it any other way. I want to get a Master's Degree and just set myself up for a good life after basketball."
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Prior to his two year's at Crowley's Ridge, Bell was at Miles Community College — his first stop after graduating from Chinook High School.
But just last year, Bell suffered a major setback which, at first, he thought put his playing days in jeopardy.
"Anytime you hear torn ACL, torn MCL, torn meniscus, your heart kind of drops," Bell said. "I couldn't do anything for two months. I had to relearn how to walk. I had to relearn how to sit up out of a chair. I went from playing 30 minutes, starting at an NAIA school to rehabbing with elderly men and women, and it was the most humbling thing I've ever went through."
He persevered and got back up to speed this past winter season. Now, he has the chance to keep chasing his dream.
"I honestly feel good, you know, my knee, it doesn't give me trouble," Bell said. "I have eight months to strengthen this thing up and it's crucial that I go over there, take care of business and then look for higher levels."
Bell will be Italy bound come January, and said that scouts will be at his games, giving him the chance to be picked up by a professional club at any time.
"I like to think that I have a ways to go and I have work to do," Bell said.
He said he's never been to Italy.
"I've never left the country, I've never even been to Canada and I'm from Chinook," Bell said. "I would say I'm a little more nervous for the everyday life part. I know no Italian. Ciao is like all I really know right now. I just downloaded the Duolingo app on my phone. I've never really researched how long it takes to learn a foreign language."
On the other hand, he said there's also a lot to look forward to, including the food in Italy.
"Pasta is my favorite food of all time and that's like their signature," Bell said. "The sightseeing, I mean you think of Rome, Italy, you think of the Colosseum and you think of all like the historical buildings they have there."
He said he hopes this sets a precedent that small town kids can achieve big things.
"It doesn't matter if you're from Chinook, Montana, or it doesn't matter if you play Class AA basketball, you can overcome anything and just chase your dreams," Bell said.
In May, Bell said he plans to move back to Chinook to train at home before he begins this new chapter of his life come 2027.
