Mikal Bridges ( ; born August 30, 1996), nicknamed “the Warden”, is an American professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
player for the
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the Na ...
of the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
(NBA). He played
college basketball
College basketball is basketball that is played by teams of Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. In the Higher education in the United States, United States, colleges and universities are governed by collegiate athle ...
for the
Villanova Wildcats
The Villanova Wildcats are the athletic teams of Villanova University. They compete in the Big East (NCAA Division I) for every sport; except football and women's rowing where they compete in the Coastal Athletic Association (Football Champions ...
, winning national championships in 2016 and 2018.
Bridges was selected with the tenth overall pick by the
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers, also known colloquially as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlan ...
in the
2018 NBA draft
The 2018 NBA Draft was held on June 21, 2018, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur United States college basketball players and other eligible players, including internationa ...
before being traded to the
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA), We ...
on draft night, where he was a part of the team that reached the
2021 NBA Finals
The 2021 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2020–21 season and conclusion of the season's playoffs. In this best-of-seven playoff series, the Eastern Conference champion Milwaukee Bucks de ...
. He was traded to the
Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), ...
in February 2023 and was later traded to the Knicks in July 2024. As of June 2025, Bridges holds the active record for the most consecutive games played, having not missed a game in his NBA career since being drafted.
Early life
Bridges is the son of Jack Bridges and Tyneeha Rivers. Tyneeha gave birth to him at the age of 19 and raised him as a single mother. He grew up in
Overbrook, Philadelphia
Overbrook is a historic neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is situated in the northwest of West Philadelphia.
The area's housing ranges from large, old homes to rowhouses to three- and four-story apartment buildings.
Physical sett ...
, and nearby neighborhoods. He moved to
Malvern, Pennsylvania
Malvern is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is west of Philadelphia. The population was 3,419 at the 2020 census.
History
The area was originally settled in the 17th century by Welsh immigrants who purchased lan ...
in middle school. His second cousin is former
La Salle player
Tyrone Garland.
High school career
Bridges attended
Great Valley High School
Great Valley High School is a comprehensive, public high school located in Malvern, Pennsylvania. Located on the same campus as Great Valley Middle School at 225 North Phoenixville Pike, it is the only high school in the Great Valley School Distr ...
in Malvern, Pennsylvania, where he was coached by Jim Nolan. He began to get serious about basketball in his sophomore year when he had a growth spurt to reach 6–6.
[ As a junior, he averaged 20 points and eight rebounds per game. During his senior season, he was named First Team All-Class AAAA. He posted averages of 18.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.4 blocks, and 1.6 steals per game as a senior. Bridges was named to the ]Philadelphia Inquirer
''The Philadelphia Inquirer'', often referred to simply as ''The Inquirer'', is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded on June 1, 1829, ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is the third-longest continuously operating da ...
's All-Southeastern Pa., boys basketball first team as a senior. In his career, he had 1,340 points and 511 rebounds. Coming out of high school, he was ranked by ESPNU
ESPNU is an American multinational digital cable and satellite sports television channel owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between the Walt Disney Company (which owns a controlling 80% stake) and Hearst Communications (which owns the remain ...
as the 82nd best player nationally, and committed to Villanova in June 2013.
College career
Freshman year
Bridges redshirted his freshman season and assisted in scouting players. In his first year with Villanova, he appeared in all 40 games for the Wildcats. He said he had to do a lot of weightlifting and change his three-point shot. He had a key role coming off the bench in the 2016 NCAA tournament, scoring 11 points in a Final Four
In sports, the final four is the last four teams remaining in a playoffs, playoff tournament. Usually the final four compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final (penultimate) round. Of these teams, the two who win in ...
rout of the Oklahoma Sooners
The Oklahoma Sooners are the college athletics in the United States , athletic teams that represent the University of Oklahoma, located in Norman, Oklahoma, Norman. The 19 men's and women's varsity teams are called the "Sooners", a reference to ...
. Bridges won the NCAA championship along with his teammates for the school for the first time since 1985. He averaged 6.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game as a freshman.[ "He came in as a high school scoring phenom like they all do, so I'm really proud of how he has opened up his game defensively," coach Jay Wright said.]
Sophomore year
Coming into the 2016–17 season, Bridges was slated to be the team's sixth man but started every game after Phil Booth went down with a knee injury in November. As a sophomore, Joe Juliano of ''The Philadelphia Inquirer
''The Philadelphia Inquirer'', often referred to simply as ''The Inquirer'', is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded on June 1, 1829, ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is the third-longest continuously operating da ...
'' wrote, "If there is such a thing as a five-tool player in college basketball, Mikal Bridges is the model." He became well-regarded as a lanky forward who could score and play excellent defense and often guarded the opposing team's best player. In the NCAA Tournament, he scored 13 points to help Villanova to a first round victory over Mount St. Mary's. 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.[ He improved his scoring as the season progressed, averaging 12.3 points in his last 12 games of the regular season. Along with Creighton's Khyri Thomas and teammate Josh Hart, Bridges was one of three Big East defensive player of the year honorees, being third in the conference in steals with 1.9 per game.]
Junior year
He was named to the 2017–18 preseason All-Big East second team. Bridges hit all six 3-point tries in a 24-point performance against Lafayette on November 17. On December 4, he scored a career-high 28 points to go with six rebounds and two blocks in an 88–72 victory over Gonzaga. Bridges scored 23 points in an overtime win against Seton Hall
Seton Hall University (SHU) is a Private university, private Catholic Church, Catholic research university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by then-Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley and named after his aunt, Saint Elizab ...
on March 2, 2018. At the conclusion of the regular season, he joined Jalen Brunson
Jalen Marquis Brunson (born August 31, 1996), nicknamed “Brunson Burner” or “Captain Clutch”, is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was drafted with the 3 ...
on the All-Big East first team. He was named MVP of the Big East tournament after scoring 28 points in the title game, a 76–66 overtime win over Providence
Providence often refers to:
* Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion
* Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in some religions
* Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...
.
As a junior Bridges averaged 17.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game on 51 percent shooting, including 43.5 percent on 3-pointers. He received the Julius Erving Award
The Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award is an annual basketball award given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the top men's collegiate small forward. Following the success of the Bob Cousy Award which had been awarde ...
for best small forward. On April 10, 2018, Bridges announced his intention to forgo his final season of collegiate eligibility and declare for the 2018 NBA draft
The 2018 NBA Draft was held on June 21, 2018, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur United States college basketball players and other eligible players, including internationa ...
, where he was the 10th selection in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers. He was later traded to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for the 16th pick, Zhaire Smith
Zhaire Jahi-ihme Smith (born June 4, 1999) is an American professional basketball player for the Texas Legends of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for Texas Tech before being drafted 16th overall by the Phoenix Suns and traded to t ...
, and an unprotected 2021 first-round pick.
Professional career
Phoenix Suns (2018–2023)
Rookie and starting role (2018–2020)
Bridges was selected with the tenth overall pick by his hometown team the Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers, also known colloquially as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlan ...
in the 2018 NBA draft
The 2018 NBA Draft was held on June 21, 2018, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur United States college basketball players and other eligible players, including internationa ...
and was subsequently traded to the Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA), We ...
in exchange for the draft rights to Zhaire Smith
Zhaire Jahi-ihme Smith (born June 4, 1999) is an American professional basketball player for the Texas Legends of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for Texas Tech before being drafted 16th overall by the Phoenix Suns and traded to t ...
and a 2021 first-round pick. Bridges joined the Suns for the 2018 NBA Summer League
The 2018 NBA Summer League consisted of three pro basketball leagues organized by the National Basketball Association (NBA): the Sacramento Kings's California Classic Summer League, Utah Jazz Summer League, and Las Vegas Summer League.
The Sacr ...
. He signed a 4-year, $17.6 million rookie-scale contract with the Suns on July 6, 2018. On October 6, it was announced that Bridges would miss the remainder of the preseason with an elbow injury.
Bridges played in the Suns' regular season opener to make his professional debut in a blowout 121–100 win over the Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...
on October 17, 2018. Three days later, 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
The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (NBA), Northwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA), W ...
. On November 14, he made his first career start in place of Trevor Ariza
Trevor Anthony Ariza (born June 30, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player who spent 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A small forward, Ariza played college basketball for one season with the UCLA Bruins ...
, scoring eight points in 25 minutes in a 116–96 win over the San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
. On February 2, 2019, Bridges recorded a season-high 20 points in a 118–112 loss to the Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Easte ...
. On February 25, Bridges put up a season-high 8 assists to help the Suns break a franchise-record 17-game losing streak to win 124–121 over the Miami Heat
The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern C ...
. From January 22 until March 6, Bridges would get at least one steal in each game played throughout that time. He became the first rookie since Chris Paul
Christopher Emmanuel Paul (born May 6, 1985), nicknamed "CP3" and "the Point God", is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Regarded by some as one of the greatest p ...
to obtain a steal per game throughout a 20-game stretch. It was also the second-longest stretch for a rookie in franchise history behind Ron Lee
Ronald Henry Lee (born November 2, 1952) is an American former professional basketball player who played six seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the University of Oregon, and epitomized the "Kam ...
. At the end of the season, Bridges became the only Suns player to play in all 82 games for the regular season.
On November 19, 2019, Bridges matched his career-high of 20 points in a 120–116 loss to the Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Confere ...
. On December 14, he grabbed a then career-high 10 rebounds in his first start of the 2019–20 NBA season
The 2019–20 NBA season was the 74th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The regular season began on October 22, 2019, and originally was supposed to end on April 15, 2020. The 2020 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 16, ...
in a 121–119 overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
in Mexico City. Bridges then matched his then career-high 10 rebounds two days later in a 111–110 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (N ...
. On January 18, Bridges scored a season-high 26 points on 6–8 three-point shooting in a 123–119 win over the Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
. On March 8, Bridges got his first double-double with 21 points while matching his then career-high of 10 rebounds in a 140–131 win over the Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...
. In the 2020 NBA Bubble
The 2020 NBA Bubble was the bio-secure bubble at Walt Disney World in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando, that was created by the National Basketball Association (NBA) to protect its players from the COVID-19 pandemic during the final eight games ...
, Bridges started in all eight games at small forward for the Suns.
Playoff success and trade (2021–2023)
On January 9, 2021, Bridges set a new career-high of 34 points in a 125–117 win over the Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
. He also helped the Suns start their season with a 7–3 record, their best 10-game start to a season since 2009. On May 13, Bridges posted a double-double with 21 points and a career-high 11 rebounds in a 118–117 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. During Game 2 of the 2021 NBA Finals
The 2021 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2020–21 season and conclusion of the season's playoffs. In this best-of-seven playoff series, the Eastern Conference champion Milwaukee Bucks de ...
, Bridges scored 27 points in a 118–108 win to give the Suns a 2–0 series lead. However, the Suns went on to lose the Finals in 6 games to the Milwaukee Bucks.
On October 17, 2021, Bridges and the Suns agreed to a 4-year, $90 million rookie contract extension. Bridges and the Suns finished the regular season with the league's best overall record at 64–18. Bridges received universal praise from players, coaches, fans, and reporters for his defense, finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY or DPOTY) is the name of an award given in sports for outstanding defensive play by a single player over the course of a season. Many sports leagues award this type of award. League awards for Defensive Player o ...
voting and being selected to his first All-Defensive First Team
The NBA All-Defensive Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor given since the 1968–69 NBA season to the best defensive players during the regular season. The All-Defensive Team is generally composed of ten players in two ...
. On April 26, 2022, Bridges scored a playoff career-high 31 points, including five rebounds and four blocks in a 112–97 Game 5 win against the New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Confere ...
. In the Western Conference Semifinals, the Suns jumped to a 2–0 lead in the series against the Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...
before losing in seven games.
On November 9, 2022, Bridges scored a season-high 31 points along with nine rebounds, five assists and four steals in a 129–117 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves (often referred to as the Wolves or T-wolves) are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Divisio ...
. On November 16, he recorded a near triple-double with 23 points, 9 rebounds and a career-high 9 assists in a 130–119 win over the reigning champion Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Founded in 1946 i ...
.
Brooklyn Nets (2023–2024)
On February 9, 2023, the Suns traded Bridges to the Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), ...
, along with Cameron Johnson
Cameron Jordan Johnson (born March 3, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball, Pittsburgh ...
, Jae Crowder
Corey Jae Crowder ( ; born July 6, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Not being heavily recruited out of high school, Crowder committed to South Georgia Te ...
, four unprotected first-round picks, and a 2028 first-round pick swap in exchange for Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant (born September 29, 1988), also known by his initials KD, is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Durant has won two List of NBA champions, NBA champ ...
and T. J. Warren. Upon joining the Nets, he was given the nickname, Brooklyn Bridges, a pun on the Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is a cable-stayed suspension bridge in New York City, spanning the East River between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Opened on May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first fixed crossing of the East River. It w ...
. On February 11, Bridges made his Nets debut, putting up 23 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals in a 101–98 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers, also known colloquially as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlan ...
. On February 15, Bridges scored a career-high 45 points in a 116–105 win over the Miami Heat
The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern C ...
. On March 26, Bridges scored 44 points in a 119–106 loss against the Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NB ...
.
On April 3, Bridges took home his first NBA Player of the Week honor in his career. He led the Nets to an undefeated 3–0 week with averages of 33 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals in wins against the Rockets, Hawks and Jazz. He recorded his third career 40-point game (all since being traded to the Nets) in the win over Atlanta, scoring 42 points. On April 9, Bridges played his 83rd game of the season, becoming the 42nd player in NBA history to play 83 or more games during the regular season, and the first since Josh Smith
Joshua Smith (born December 5, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player who played 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Entering the NBA straight out of high school, Smith played nine seasons with the Atlant ...
in the 2014–15 season. As of the conclusion of the 2023–24 season, Bridges still holds the active record for the most consecutive games played with 494, making him the current iron man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, the character first appearan ...
.
On December 2, 2023, Bridges put up 42 points, with 26 of those coming in the first quarter, in a 129–102 win over the Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NB ...
. On December 6, Bridges put up 30 points alongside a game-winning jumpshot in a 114–113 win over the Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Easte ...
.
New York Knicks (2024–present)
On July 6, 2024, Bridges was traded to the New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the Na ...
along with Keita Bates-Diop
Keita Bates-Diop ( ; born January 23, 1996) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Qingdao Eagles of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Early life
Ke ...
in exchange for Bojan Bogdanović
Bojan Bogdanović (; born 18 April 1989) is a Croatian professional basketball player who last played for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing at , he plays the small forward position. Bogdanović has also ...
, Shake Milton
Malik Benjamin "Shake" Milton (born September 26, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for Southern Methodist University (SMU) fr ...
, Mamadi Diakite
Mamadi Diakite (born January 21, 1997) is a Guinean professional basketball player for the Valley Suns of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Virginia Cavaliers, with whom he won an NCAA national championship in 2019. He also ...
, five future first-round picks, a first-round pick swap, and a second-round pick. The trade reunited Bridges with his former Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson
Jalen Marquis Brunson (born August 31, 1996), nicknamed “Brunson Burner” or “Captain Clutch”, is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was drafted with the 3 ...
and Josh Hart, with the group given the nickname the "Villanova Knicks" or "Nova Knicks".
On October 22, 2024, Bridges made his Knicks debut, putting up 16 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field and 2-of-7 from three-point range in a 132–109 loss to the Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
. On December 25, Bridges put up 41 points in a 117–114 win over the San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
on Christmas Day. On March 12, Bridges scored 33 points and hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer in overtime to secure a 114–113 win over the Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (N ...
. In Game 1 of the conference semifinals, Bridges secured the game-winning steal in a 108–105 overtime win over the defending champion Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
. In Game 2 of the Conference Semifinals, Bridges scored all 14 of his points in the 4th quarter and secured the game winning block in a 91–90 win as New York took a 2–0 series lead over the heavily-favored Celtics. For the second straight Playoff game, the Knicks came back from 20 points down to win, becoming the first team to ever do so.
National team career
Bridges was a member of the United States national team
The United States national team or Team USA may refer to any of a number of sports team representing the United States in international competitions.
Olympic teams
Additionally, these teams may compete in other international competitions such as ...
that competed in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup
The 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup was the 19th tournament of the FIBA Basketball World Cup for men's national basketball teams, held from 25 August to 10 September 2023. The tournament was the second to feature 32 teams and was hosted by multipl ...
. Against Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
, he led the team with 24 points as they made the semis. There they lost to Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, setting them up for a bronze medal match against Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
. In that bronze medal game, he was fouled with 4.2 seconds remaining and Team USA down by four. He 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. However, Canada went on to win in overtime to claim the bronze as Team USA finished fourth in that tournament.
Career statistics
NBA
Regular season
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 56 , , 29.5 , , .430 , , .335 , , .805 , , 3.2 , , 2.1 , , 1.6 , , .5 , , 8.3
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 73 , , 32 , , 28.0 , , .510 , , .361 , , .844 , , 4.0 , , 1.8 , , 1.4 , , .6 , , 9.1
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, style="background:#cfecec;", 72* , , style="background:#cfecec;", 72* , , 32.6 , , .543 , , .425 , , .840 , , 4.3 , , 2.1 , , 1.1 , , .9 , , 13.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 34.8 , , .534 , , .369 , , .834 , , 4.2 , , 2.3 , , 1.2 , , .4 , , 14.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;" rowspan=2,
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, style="background:#cfecec;", 56* , , style="background:#cfecec;", 56* , , 36.4 , , .463 , , .387 , , .897 , , 4.3 , , 3.6 , , 1.2 , , .8 , , 17.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;", Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, style="background:#cfecec;", 27*, , style="background:#cfecec;", 27*, , 34.2 , , .475 , , .376 , , .894 , , 4.5 , , 2.7 , , 1.0 , , .6 , , 26.1
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, 82 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 34.8 , , .436 , , .372 , , .814 , , 4.5 , , 3.6 , , 1.0 , , .4 , , 19.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
New York may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* ...
, style="background:#cfecec;", 82 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 37.0 , , .500 , , .354 , , .814 , , 3.2 , , 3.7 , , .9 , , .5 , , 17.6
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 556 , , 489 , , 33.3 , , .484 , , .371 , , .843 , , 4.0 , , 2.7 , , 1.2 , , .6 , , 14.8
Playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2021
Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 22 , , 22 , , 32.1 , , .484 , , .368 , , .893 , , 4.3 , , 1.6 , , 1.0 , , .7 , , 11.1
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2022
The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...
, style="text-align:left;", Phoenix
, 13 , , 13 , , 38.5 , , .478 , , .394 , , .933 , , 4.7 , , 2.8 , , 1.1 , , 1.0 , , 13.3
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2023
Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...
, style="text-align:left;", Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, 4 , , 4 , , 39.3 , , .429 , , .400 , , .783 , , 5.3 , , 4.0 , , .5 , , .5 , , 23.5
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2025
So far, the year has seen the continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudanese civil war, and the Gaza war. Internal crises in Bangladesh post-resignation v ...
, style="text-align:left;", New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
New York may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* ...
, 18 , , 18 , , 39.2 , , .456 , , .333 , , .750 , , 4.5 , , 2.9 , , 1.7 , , .9 , , 15.6
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 57 , , 57 , , 36.3 , , .466 , , .363 , , .856 , , 4.5 , , 2.5 , , 1.2 , , .8 , , 13.9
College
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2014–15
, style="text-align:left;", Villanova
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="11",
Redshirt
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2015–16
, style="text-align:left;", Villanova
, 40 , , 0 , , 20.3 , , .521 , , .299 , , .787 , , 3.2 , , .9 , , 1.1 , , .7 , , 6.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2016–17
, style="text-align:left;", Villanova
, 36 , , 33 , , 29.8 , , .549 , , .393 , , .911 , , 4.6 , , 2.0 , , 1.7 , , .9 , , 9.8
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2017–18
, style="text-align:left;", Villanova
, 40 , , 40 , , 32.1 , , .514 , , .435 , , .851 , , 5.3 , , 1.9 , , 1.5 , , 1.1 , , 17.7
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 116 , , 73 , , 27.3 , , .525 , , .400 , , .845 , , 4.3 , , 1.6 , , 1.4 , , .9 , , 11.3
Personal life
Bridges is a fan of the Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West ...
and Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...
.
In December 2023, Bridges stated in an interview for GQ that he has eaten at Chipotle Mexican Grill
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. ( ), often known simply as Chipotle, is an American multinational chain of fast casual restaurants specializing in bowls, tacos, and Mission burritos made to order in front of the customer. As of March 31, 2025, C ...
every day for the last ten years.
References
External links
DraftExpress profile
Villanova Wildcats bio
A Phoenix Sun rises: Mikal Bridges determined to be a complete player
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bridges, Mikal
1996 births
Living people
2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup players
21st-century African-American sportsmen
21st-century American sportsmen
All-American college men's basketball players
American men's basketball players
Basketball players from Philadelphia
Brooklyn Nets players
Great Valley High School alumni
New York Knicks players
Philadelphia 76ers draft picks
Phoenix Suns players
Shooting guards
Small forwards
Sportspeople from Chester County, Pennsylvania
United States men's national basketball team players
Villanova Wildcats men's basketball players