Raja Bell Day Part 1

In a belated birthday wish to Raja Bell, we will make him the subject of our latest Suns player "holiday". Raja, who turned 31 a few days ago, is a favorite among fans for his tenacity, long-range shooting, and all-around team play. He is an absolute pest on defense, and not afraid to go toe-to-toe with anyone, especially that kid who plays for the Lakers. He's also a threat on offense, tying Gilbert Arenas for a league-leading 205 made three-pointers this past season, while shooting them at a 41% clip. But perhaps his greatest asset to the Suns is his leadership in the locker room. Whenever the Suns find themselves slacking off, they can always count on Raja to rile them up again with one of his halftime speeches.

By now, most everyone reading this probably already knows the drill. This post is for facts, trivia, and general commentary, and tomorrow we'll follow that up with a second post featuring YouTubes and excerpts from your comments. So, hit me up with your favorite Raja Bell stories and YouTubes, then check back tomorrow evening for Part 2.

A Few Quick Facts about Raja (from Wikipedia, Suns.com, Raja's NBA player profile page, and other sources):

Full Name: Raja Dia Bell

Birth Date: September 19, 1976 (Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands)

Height: 6'5"

Weight: 210lbs

College: Florida International

Trivia:

• Got to the NBA the hard way after going undrafted out of college.
• His middle name means "champion", and it is also his son's name.
• Is a vegetarian.
• Has a tiger named after him. (video here)
• Has his own cheering section at the US Airways Center.
• Made 205 three-pointers in 2006-07, tying Gilbert Arenas for the lead.
• Was dining at Denny's in South Dakota when he got a call to join the 76ers.
• Winner of the 2005-06 Majerlie Hustle Award
• Made NBA All-Defensive first team for 2006-07

Also, if you haven't seen it yet, check out Suns.com's tour of Raja's home.