What do Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Grant Hill and Christian Laettner have in common? They each won two NCAA titles, were chosen in the top 10 of the NBA Draft, and were All-Stars at some point during their careers (Horford was an All-Star this season). Could Bridges, who won a pair of NCAA titles at Villanova, be the next to join this very prestigious list?
Disregarded by many when he first arrived at Villanova and left off many first round mock drafts early on in his college career – he averaged 6.4 points during his freshman year and 9.8 points his sophomore season – Bridges evolved into one of the best two-way players in 2017-18. With prototypical size and athleticism, Bridges is extremely polished and versatile. He can make an impact right away because of his experience and poise.
He’s an excellent catch-and-shoot 3-point shooter (has great form and elevation and shot 43.5 percent from beyond the arc this past season). Bridges is also very disruptive and tenacious on the defensive end. He finished in the top five in steals in the Big East in each of the past two seasons and in 2017-18 ranked fourth in the conference in blocks, which is extraordinarily impressive considering the position that he plays.
Where Bridges must improve if he wants to be more than a 3-and-D guy is in his playmaking and physicality. He’s not much of a shot creator – either for himself or his teammates. He doesn’t thrive in isolation and doesn’t have great footwork or creativity when he drives inside. He also doesn’t initiate much contact when he attacks the basket (averaged 2.3 free throw attempts throughout his college career).
College: Villanova
Height: 6'7
Weight: 191
College Stats: 11.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists
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