Dia Bell's NBA Star Dad Reacts to His Elite 11 MVP Honor

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Cami Griffin | Last updated Jun 20, 2025 7:53 PM ET

The crown jewel of Texas' 2026 recruiting class is five-star quarterback Dia Bell.

Bell verbally committed to the Longhorns on June 17, 2024, and has held a strong pledge ever since. The American Heritage (Fort Lauderdale, FL) product is ranked the No. 3 quarterback in the nation and the No. 1 overall prospect in Florida for the 2026 recruiting class, according to 247Sports composite.

Bell has amassed numerous accolades up to this point. The latest achievement, and perhaps one of the hardest to obtain, came this week when Bell was announced the Elite 11 Finals MVP.

The Elite 11 is a highly selective competition for the top high school quarterbacks across the country. Bell demonstrated exceptional skills, poise and leadership throughout the competition. He also became the first Texas commit to win the Elite 11 MVP.

Bell's father, former NBA star Raja Bell, offered a sincere congratulations to his son for winning the award amongst so many incredible quarterbacks. "A truly amazing experience getting to watch some incredible quarterbacks compete and bond," Raja Bell said.

Congrats to my son @DiaBell3QB1 on being named MVP of the @Elite11 competition! A truly amazing experience getting to watch some incredible QBs compete and bond. Thank u coaches!Met so many awesome parents and will genuinely be pulling for all of the boys. They are ALL STUDS! pic.twitter.com/pycikXuNBi
— RajaBell19 (@Bell19Raja) June 20, 2025

Bell was also named the 2024 Gatorade Player of the Year in Florida. He threw for 2,597 yards before suffering a season-ending lower leg injury in the Class 4A regional semifinals.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian has seemingly turned Austin into a quarterback factory. Aside from quarterback phenom Arch Manning, Bell may be the next up and coming name that fans will remember for the foreseeable future.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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