NBA Mock Draft 2017, Week 17: Portland uses three first round picks

This is the first of three selections for the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2017 draft. Michigan State’s Miles Bridges is a bouncy combo forward with elite athleticism who has the potential to make an impact on both ends of the floor.

Offensively, Bridges has taken advantage of playing power forward for the Spartans. By attacking bigger players, he’s able to be more successful off the dribble. Those players also have to give him more shooting space. Bridges has knocked down better than 40 percent of his 3-point attempts this season, but his free throw shooting suggests that likely won’t stand the test of a larger sample size. Still, Bridges could be a decent 3-point shooter at the next level. If he’s hitting outside shots, he becomes a much more difficult player to defend because he can beat guys with cuts and explosive dunks.

On defense, there’s hope that Bridges will be a versatile defender because of his strength. At 230 pounds and 6-foot-6, Bridges has a thick build that should allow him to handle battling bigger players. This season, he’s posted 2.0 blocks per 40 minutes and has been really good on the defensive glass.

Learn more about Miles Bridges at The Step Back.