When did Mikal Bridges go to college?

Mikal Bridges is an American basketball player currently signed with the New York Knicks. At 6 feet 6 inches, he excels as a versatile small forward on both ends of the court. Hailing from Malvern, Pennsylvania, Bridges attended Great Valley High School, where he developed a serious passion for basketball. He earned recognition as First Team All-Class AAAA and posted impressive stats. In June 2013, Bridges was ranked the 82nd best player nationally by ESPNU.

Mikal Bridges’ childhood favorite team, the Philadelphia 76ers drafted him with 10th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. However, in a draft day trade, he was sent to the Phoenix Suns. With the Suns, Bridges received playing time straight away as they were looking for a young small forward who could defend. Suns found that defensive gem in Bridges, and he was adored by Suns fans, calling him "Warden" for his elite defense.

In the 2021-2022 season, he was a runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year and made the All-NBA First Defensive Team. In February 2023, he joined the Brooklyn Nets and became their top offensive player before his trade to the New York Knicks in the 2024 off-season. In his career with the Brooklyn Nets, Bridges averaged 21.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.0 steals per game.

Mikal Bridges College Career

Mikal Bridges played college ball at Villanova University from 2015 to 2018.

In his first college season, Bridges played a crucial role coming off the bench. During his first season in 2015-16, Bridges was a defensive leader for the Wildcats and helped them win the NCAA championship. In his second college season, he joined the starting lineup, and this time his offensive skills improved tremendously which resulted in him scoring 9.8 points per game, but this time Villanova suffered an unexpected loss in the 2017 March Madness.

In 2017, Bridges decided to stay in college for another season to further develop his game. In what would be his last season at Villanova, Bridges became a star with his lockdown defensive skills and an impressive scoring average of 17.7 points per game. This year, Bridges won the prestigious ‘Julius Erving Award’ for the best small forward and led Villanova to another NCAA championship, scoring 19 points in the final game. With two NCAA titles, Bridges left a lasting impact on college basketball.

Mikal Bridges Teammates at Villanova

At Villanova, Mikal Bridges found himself alongside future NBA talents like Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson, and Donte DiVincenzo.

It's a basketball twist of fate that has now led Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson, and Mikal Bridges to become teammates at the New York Knicks. These once-college brothers have become the core of the New York Knicks team, adding an exciting chapter in their basketball journey.