29 Facts About Mikal Bridges

Mikal Bridges is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association.

Mikal Bridges played college basketball for the Villanova Wildcats, winning national championships in 2016 and 2018.

Mikal Bridges was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in February 2023 and was later traded to the Knicks in July 2024.

Mikal Bridges is the son of Jack Mikal Bridges and Tyneeha Rivers, who gave birth to him at the age of 19 and raised him as a single mother.

Mikal Bridges grew up in Overbrook, Philadelphia, and nearby neighborhoods.

Mikal Bridges attended Great Valley High School in Malvern, Pennsylvania, where he was coached by Jim Nolan.

Mikal Bridges posted averages of 18.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.4 blocks, and 1.6 steals per game as a senior.

Mikal Bridges redshirted his freshman season and assisted in scouting players.

Mikal Bridges said he had to do a lot of weightlifting and change his three-point shot.

Mikal Bridges had a key role coming off the bench in the 2016 NCAA tournament, scoring 11 points in a Final Four rout of the Oklahoma Sooners.

Mikal Bridges won the NCAA championship along with his teammates for the school for the first time since 1985.

Mikal Bridges averaged 6.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game as a freshman.

Mikal Bridges averaged 9.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while making 54 percent of his field goal attempts and 39 percent of three point tries.

Mikal Bridges improved his scoring as the season progressed, averaging 12.3 points in his last 12 games of the regular season.

Mikal Bridges scored 23 points in an overtime win against Seton Hall on March 2,2018.

Mikal Bridges received the Julius Erving Award for best small forward.

Mikal Bridges was later traded to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for the 16th pick, Zhaire Smith, and an unprotected 2021 first-round pick.

Mikal Bridges was selected with the tenth overall pick by his hometown team the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2018 NBA draft and was traded to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for the draft rights to Zhaire Smith and a 2021 first-round pick.

Mikal Bridges joined the Suns for the 2018 NBA Summer League.

Mikal Bridges signed a 4-year, $17.6 million rookie-scale contract with the Suns on July 6,2018.

Three days later, Mikal Bridges recorded his first points, rebounds, and assists of his professional career with 10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in a blowout loss against the Denver Nuggets.

Mikal Bridges became the first rookie since Chris Paul to obtain a steal per game throughout a 20-game stretch.

Mikal Bridges received universal praise from players, coaches, fans, and reporters for his defense, finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting and being selected to his first All-Defensive First Team.

Mikal Bridges recorded his third career 40-point game in the win over Atlanta, scoring 42 points.

On July 6,2024, Mikal Bridges was traded to the New York Knicks along with Keita Bates-Diop in exchange for Bojan Bogdanovic, Shake Milton, Mamadi Diakite, five future first-round picks, a first-round pick swap, and a second-round pick.

Mikal Bridges was a member of the United States national team that competed in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Mikal Bridges made the first free throw, then intentionally missed the second to get his own offensive rebound and make a three-pointer that sent the game into overtime.

Mikal Bridges is a fan of the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Phillies.

In December 2023, Mikal Bridges stated in an interview for GQ that he has eaten at Chipotle Mexican Grill every day for the last ten years.