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22 - Miles Bridges

6-6, 220 Small Forward/Power Forward
Michigan St. Sophomore
Birthday
03/21/98 (26 yrs)
Hometown
Flint, MI
High School
Huntington Prep
Team Site Profile
Statistics
Athleticism
9
Size
6
Defense
7
Strength
8
Quickness
8
Leadership
8
Jump Shot
8
NBA Ready
8
Ball Handling
NA
Potential
8
Passing
NA
Intangibles
8

NBA Comparison: Jerome Kersey

Strengths: It was not too long ago that a tweener type of player like Miles Bridges was difficult to find a distinct role in the NBA … Over the last couple of years though, the dynasty that the Golden State Warriors have built has transformed basketball into a positionless game where players like Bridges are now the pivotal role players to which every team wants to build themselves … A player like Bridges is perhaps the most important piece of this new positionless puzzle: a two-way wing player who can play multiple positions in various lineups … The intrigue with Bridges begins with his NBA-ready frame and incredible explosiveness … Bridges might be the draft’s top athlete, between his quickness, power and leaping ability … At 6′ 6", 230 pounds, he’s built similarly to Jae Crowder or PJ Tucker … Like Crowder, he will also be an asset on the defensive end in today’s game because he can guard positions 2 through 4 … He’s quick enough around the perimeter to chase around guards with the strength to match up against bigger forwards … He’ll have the chance to be a tough one-on-one defender like Crowder, but Bridges, who blocked 1.5 shots a game at Michigan State, will also be an exciting defensive playmaker for his ability to chase down fast breaks and fly in from the weak side … Bridges will probably never be an elite offensive playmaker or shot creator, but his catch and shoot ability will at least make him a threat … Bridges connected on almost 38 percent of his threes in two collegiate seasons and also shot 85 percent from the free throw line as a sophomore … His lefty mechanics are smooth with little wasted motion, and he has good footwork and shot preparation before the catch … He also can get himself easy baskets with his athleticism off straight-line drives, cuts and in transition … He is also a deft passer at 3.6 assists per 40 minutes, and he also had a positive assist-to-turnover ratio at Michigan State … He has a solid feel for the game and does a nice job of making the simple play off of the catch and in pick-and-roll situations … Bridges is also a very high-level rebounder for a wing and uses his strength and athleticism to get involved on the glass on both ends … Bridges does not shy away from big moments and has proven to be a clutch player in late game situations … He is a very competitive player with a high motor on both ends of the court …

Weaknesses: Bridges is not a great ball handler and can get sloppy with his dribble in the half court … He does not project as a primary ball handler or shot creator at the next level and is more of a one or two dribble player instead of a playmaker. Bridges is listed by Michigan State as 6-7, but his last official measurements had him at 6-6 with a 6-9 wingspan … The lack of height makes him undersized as a small forward and well undersized at the 4 … He also does not have ideal length, which may hinder his ability to be as disruptive as a defender in the NBA against longer and more athletic players … Despite his explosiveness, he does not get great lift on his jumper, which will generate questions about whether he will consistently be able to get his shot off against longer defenders in the NBA … Bridges is also somewhat limited by his lack of a pull-up jumper and mid-range game … The likelihood Bridges will develop into an offensive focal point who can create consistently for himself and others seems low … It’s not a role he played in either season for the Spartans, and most future wing creators tend to show flashes of this at some point in college …

Notes: Measured 6′ 5.25” barefoot,  6′ 6.75” in shoes, 220.4 lbs, 6′ 9.5′ wingspan, 8′ 7.5” standings reach,     5.90% body fat and 9.00 inch hand length at the 2018 NBA Draft Combine … Five-star high-school recruit…McDonald’s All-American and Jordan Brand Classic selection…2016-2017 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Second-Team All-Big Ten selection…2017-2018 First-Team All-Big Ten selection, Second-Team AP All-American

William Peter Desautelle III 5/27/18

Strengths: 6’6 powerfully built combo forward … Has great strength. freakishly explosive, dunks everything possible. Great body control and confidence … High energy player. Brings consistent aggression every possession of every game … A true competitor … Shooting has shown improvement in the past year … Has the ability to make shots from a variety of spots on the floor … Added an in-and-out crossover to beat the first line of defense … Tremendous rebounder for a wing, gets boards in and out of his area. Great shot blocker for a wing, elevates quickly. Quick first step … Very good ambidexterity as a finisher on layups and dunks. Has an array of floaters and layups off of spin moves in the paint … Solid court vision and passing ability … Has shown great improvement throughout high school career … Good at drawing fouls. Plays well in traffic and through contact … Lateral quickness is good and gives hope of him transitioning to a full time SF …

Weaknesses: "Classic tweener" … His NBA position remains a big question mark as he is severely underzied for the post and doesn’t have polished perimeter skills at this point … His shooting has drastically improved in the past year but he still doesn’t shoot with consistency yet … Has a low release and doesn’t exhibit a fluid shooting form … He usually shoots from three or gets all the way to the rim, his midrange game will need to improve moving forward … Needs to improve ball handling ability and overall perimeter skills … More effective in catch and shoot than pulling up … Undersized for a player that spends a majority of time in the paint but shows potential to guard multiple positions … Has some ball handling ability, but it’s a high dribble that must be tightened and proven against real competition … Relies on superior strength and athleticism … Creating offense will be much more difficult at the next level …

Outlook: Bridges has shown improvement each year, continuing to step up as his role increased. He was able to compete against many top players and had his share of exceptional games while being the most exciting player on the floor in the process. Bridges highlights a strong recruiting class for Michigan State and was named to both McDonald’s All American Game and Jordan Brand Classic.

Notes: Measured 6’5, 225 lbs with a 6’9 wingspan at the 2014 Nike Elite 100 … Measured 6’7.5’’ in shoes, with a 6’8.5’’ wingspan and 230 lbs at the 2015 Nike Basketball Academy …

Evan Tomes 11/15/16

June 30, 2013 

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