2017 NBA Mock Draft, Week 22: College basketball is over

Michigan State’s Miles Bridges is a 6-foot-7 combo forward who will ideally play plenty of small ball four — the same role he played with the Spartans — at the next level. As a freshman, he excelled by taking advantage of offensive mismatches on the perimeter, using his quickness to beat defenders off the dribble and his shooting to help stretch the floor for his teammates. Bridges made 38.9 percent of his 144 3-point attempts, but his secondary numbers tell a conflicting story. Bridges attempted a high volume of 3s (6.4 per 40 minutes), but struggled from the free throw line (68.5 percent). He will likely end up as a serviceable, but not great NBA 3-point shooter, which is important because it’s the key to opening up his offensive potential.

At 230 pounds, Bridges already has the physical stature necessary to compete against NBA opponents. He’s strong and does well battling bigger guys inside the arc. Bridges’ defensive versatility is his other prized trait. He moves well laterally, uses his explosiveness to challenge shots at the rim (1.9 blocks per 40) and rebounds as well as many of the big men in the 2017 class.

Learn more about Miles Bridges at The Step Back.