(Bleacher Report)
Tyler Kemp
Earlier today, Villanova frontwards Mikal Bridges decided to forgo his concluding twelvemonth of college eligibility in addition to declared for the NBA draft. The redshirt junior has won ii national championships in addition to private honors such equally the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year equally good equally existence named an All-American selection. Bridges, a projected lottery pick, has drawn a lot of involvement from a multitude of teams picking at the peak of the draft. As shortly equally a college basketball game histrion gains whatsoever form of media attending equally a potential draft pick, fans in addition to pundits alike get down to search for comparisons for each private player. One histrion whose advert has been associated amongst Bridges is Spurs superstar in addition to San Diego State production Kawhi Leonard. Are these comparisons reasonable or are they direct out of left field? Let’s receive got a deeper aspect at introduce 24-hour interval Bridges in addition to Leonard from his college days:
Scouting Report:
Bridges checks inward at a slender construct of 6’7 in addition to 210 pounds, a frame that he has added upwards of twenty pounds to e'er since arriving at Villanova’s campus dorsum inward the summertime of 2014. Leonard started his career at San Diego State at a corporation size of 6’7, 210 pounds according to his recruiting profile on espn.com. After getting drafted past times the Spurs 15th overall inward the twelvemonth 2011, he has added to a greater extent than or less weight of his ain in addition to similar a shot weighs 230 pounds. Although Leonard came into schoolhouse at the size that Bridges is today, a proper grooming regimen amongst an NBA organization tin sack aid Bridges add together to a greater extent than musculus to his frame.
According to nbascoutinglive.com, the scouting study on Mikal Bridges points to his strengths equally existence a expert shooter from whatsoever spot on the floor, an special scorer spell moving, existence able to create his shot off the dribble, in addition to having a corporation post game. All of these are inward add-on to Bridges’ special defense, equally he was named Big East Defensive Player of the Year inward the 2016-17 flavor equally a redshirt sophomore. Sounds eerily similar to the game of the 2014 NBA Finals MVP, right? Leonard’s scouting study on nbadraft.net reads that he, “shows the mightiness to play amongst his dorsum to the basket” equally good equally the fact that “his shooting has improved in addition to (he) has conk a respectable threat from the outside.” When it comes to defense, Leonard, “has the instincts in addition to shows potential inward becoming a real corporation defender.” Leonard has proven all of these aspects right equally his scoring average has increased every flavor from his rookie twelvemonth of 2011-12 all the way upward to in conclusion year’s 2016-17 flavor (he has spent most of this flavor injured due to a lingering quad injury). Both players are praised for their mightiness to play on both ends of the courtroom in addition to Bridges is hoping to seek the scouts right 1 time he officially makes the boundary to the Association.
Statistics
When examining both Bridges’ in addition to Leonard’s impressive stat lines from college, it is non the regular numbers such equally points, rebounds, assists per game that should last examined due to the fact that they played inward ii totally dissimilar systems. Leonard played for jitney Steve Fisher during his days at San Diego State where he was the adult man right away leading his squad inward scoring inward his ii years inward college amongst 12.7 in addition to 15.5 points per game inward his freshman in addition to sophomore seasons, respectively. Bridges, on the other hand, has seen a steady increment inward minutes in addition to points over his 3 years equally a educatee athlete at Villanova in addition to did non average upwards of 10 points until this past times flavor when he broke out amongst 17.7 points per game en road to Big East in addition to National championships. He has also been on teams loaded amongst entitle talent such equally swain NBA prospect Jalen Brunson in addition to 2018 Most Outstanding Player Donte DiVincenzo. Back inward the 2016 flavor equally a redshirt freshman (another National Championship season), he was a reserve on a squad that fielded a freshman Brunson in addition to other players who receive got already made the boundary to the pros such equally Ryan Arcidiacono, Daniel Ochefu, Kris Jenkins, in addition to Josh Hart.
It took to a greater extent than or less to a greater extent than earthworks into the basketball game purists’ to the lowest degree favorite word: analytics. The advanced numbers quest to a few commonalities betwixt Bridges in addition to Leonard. The commencement stat that jumps off the page is Player Efficiency Rating (PER), which is a formula developed past times ESPN’s John Hollinger to calculate all the positive in addition to negative plays a histrion makes inward a game on a scale of 0-30 amongst xv existence average. Bridges’ PER this past times flavor was 26.8 spell Kawhi’s PER inward his in conclusion twelvemonth of college was 26.5. Both players are known for existence real efficient amongst their touches in addition to it shows amongst their play on the court. The adjacent statistic is steals per 100 possessions, which way how many steals does a histrion average per 100 possessions to conform for the fault of how many possessions at that spot genuinely are inward a game (there are close seventy on average inward a college basketball game game). Bridges averaged 2.7 steals per 100 possessions in addition to Kawhi averaged… 2.7 steals per 100 possessions. This way their affect on the defensive destination of the flooring of getting into passing lanes in addition to creating points for their respective teams was statistically the same. The in conclusion lay out that is similar betwixt the ii is gratis throws made per game. Bridges averaged 2.9 made per game in addition to Leonard averaged 3.1 made per game. Neither histrion averaged to a greater extent than than four gratis throw attempts per game which signifies how both players spent most of their fourth dimension on the perimeter rather than existence aggressive in addition to getting into the paint. Going beyond the basic per game stats, these numbers are almost identical betwixt ii real similar players.
The Verdict?
After farther examination, the verdict is that the comparisons betwixt Bridges in addition to Leonard are to a greater extent than than reasonable. Does this all hateful that Mikal Bridges volition last amend than Leonard? Not necessarily because it is a hard business for anyone to accomplish equally Leonard has ii NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards to his credit. Based on the advanced numbers, scouting reports, in addition to the laid-back personalities they both possess, it is non hard to see why scouts compare the Villanova frontwards to 1 of the best two-way players inward the NBA. It volition last real intriguing to see the evolution of Mikal Bridges’ professional person career in addition to if he tin sack see in addition to fifty-fifty perhaps piece of occupation past times expectations set out for him.
(All stats are from www.sports-reference.com)
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