As we've seen throughout the summer, basketball doesn't stop for many NBA players as they've been involved in numerous pickup games to stay in shape and work on their game.

This year's rookies have been no different as several of them have been gearing up for their debut seasons by taking to the courts with their more experienced counterparts.

For Golden State Warriors rookie Jordan Bell, there was a real baptism of fire for him during a recent pickup game as he was tasked with guarding the best player in the world.

That's right, he found himself matched up against LeBron James and the outcome was exactly what you'd expect.

Speaking to CSN Bay Area, the 22-year-old described his first encounter with the King.

“It’s crazy how big he is, how quick he is for his size and how smart he is,” Bell said. “He was standing straight up, and I’m thinking he can’t go by me if he’s standing straight up. I’m in a good defensive stance. He’s not crouching.

“But there he goes. I’m not going to say he got by me, but I didn’t realise he was so quick. For him to be standing straight up, there’s no way he should be able to move that fast.”

Being a member of the Warriors, Bell can now understand what his new teammates have been going through over the last three years having faced LBJ in the finals on each occasion.

The Oregon product has nothing to be ashamed of as even the most experienced players have trouble guarding the Cleveland Cavaliers superstar.

With his speed, size and athleticism, LeBron is a freak of nature and almost unguardable but Bell believes he more than held his own.

“I thought I did a pretty good job on him, but he obviously hit some shots,” Bell said. “But he would get on the block, and I’m containing him, not letting him back me down, and he would fade away from the block to the three-point line -- and make it. And I just played the best defence of my life. It didn’t matter.”

The power forward was also playing alongside fellow Warrior Draymond Green and having guarded James on countless occasions over the last three seasons, he had some advice for the youngster.

“[Draymond Green] was on my team,” Bell said, “and he was just like, ‘Look, you can’t do nothing about that. Just worry about the next play’."

Despite not playing an official game yet, it was definitely a welcome to the NBA moment for Bell.