Reports indicate Bridges to return to MSU for sophomore season

Donate To GopherHole
spartans67 said:
That was due to our lack of post depth. Bridges was meant to be our 3 man on the wing. He played exclusively 4 out if necessity. Our post rotation last year was ward and a 6-6 walkon.
Click to expand...

Yes, I think MSU will be much better than last year and will be very good. Not #1 in the entire country good though. In fact I would think most Spartan fans wouldn't think that either.
 

die hard gopher said:
Yes, I think MSU will be much better than last year and will be very good. Not #1 in the entire country good though. In fact I would think most Spartan fans wouldn't think that either.
Click to expand...

I was more referring to your comment about how the team is very similar to last year's team. It is actually quite different. The main difference is that we actually have some post guys this year....and Bridges' role will be completely different as he can now run the wing on fast breaks as our 3 man compared to being the trailer as a 4 man. It is going to be huge to be able to play Bridges at the 3 and have him guard a guy like Coffey compared to being forced to have him on Murphy out of necessity. I agree that we should not be #1, but we are certainly top 5ish, especially if we can close on a recruit or 2 that we are still after.
 

SelectionSunday said:
Definitely would be a risky decision, no doubt, but I always respect guys that don't go for the instant money grab. Injury is always the biggest concern, but he could come out just fine if he has the monster sophomore season most people would expect. He could go from being a (maybe) top 10-15 draft pick to one of the top 3 or 4? Certainly not out of the question.
Click to expand...

I agree with everything you said but the last part. There is no way a 6'6" PF tweener goes in the top 3 of a draft unless your name is Charles Barkley. If he is guaranteed to go in the lottery this year, he needs to go IMO.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Slim Tubby said:
I agree with everything you said but the last part. There is no way a 6'6" PF tweener goes in the top 3 of a draft unless your name is Charles Barkley. If he is guaranteed to go in the lottery this year, he needs to go IMO.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Most mock drafts have him 11 through 13, that is between 4.5 and 5.2 million for two years with at least 3 million in the option year. He should leave now.
 

Slim Tubby said:
I agree with everything you said but the last part. There is no way a 6'6" PF tweener goes in the top 3 of a draft unless your name is Charles Barkley. If he is guaranteed to go in the lottery this year, he needs to go IMO.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

He's a SF, not a PF. Bridges played PF last season because Sparty's frontcourt was decimated by injury.
 


die hard gopher said:
Jackson is #6 in the country in the new Rivals rankings. Thats higher than Bridges was in any of the rankings last year. I'd be shocked if a dude that averaged 3 and 3 last year beat him out in fact I'd say Schilling will probably be the 4th big in the rotation behind Ben Carter as well. I'd give him a slight edge over Tillman and Goins.
Click to expand...

https://twitter.com/graham_couch/status/852475200088137729

Graham Couch, a beat writer for MSU, agrees with you.
 

bemidjigopher said:
But were you a basketball phenom inline to get millions of dollars?
Click to expand...

This is his choice. No need for us to question how he wants to live his life. (*response to many posters)

MSU has recent precedent for a player returning and not having his NBA stock drop much if any (see Gary Harris).

Anyway Bridges is a summer doing nothing but working out, eating right and dribbling a basketball away from being a top 10 pick. There aren't many players in next years class that will have the tools he will have (porter is about it, maybe Knox but right now I would take Bridges over him). If he improves his ball handling and mindset... look out.
 

This is really awesome for Big10 basketball & the Gophers. I'd love for us to win one of the Big10 titles next year but our chances certainly diminish if MSU and Purdy are stacked w/ everyone back. Flip side, we may have multiple chances to beat top 5 teams next year, as well as other top 25 teams in Northwestern, Michigan and potentially Maryland, Indiana & Iowa. The Big10 would be the elite conference next year in college basketball and its quite likely MN will be in the thick of the title chase all season - That would be so Awesome!
 

SelectionSunday said:
He's a SF, not a PF. Bridges played PF last season because Sparty's frontcourt was decimated by injury.
Click to expand...

I know you follow Sparty much more closely than I do and for the record, I absolutely love Bridges and would like to see him on the Wolves. However, in the 8-10 games that I watched him play this year, I think he would have a very difficult time guarding the 3 in the NBA because he's not an elite athlete. If he's guaranteed to go in the back end of the Lottery this year, he'd be crazy not to go and be set financially for the rest of his life. With all that said, college basketball would much better off if kids like Bridges did decide to stay in school for 2-3 years.
 



Bridges tweet seems to imply he'll return to East Lansing

However, still nothing official.

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 

Slim Tubby said:
I know you follow Sparty much more closely than I do and for the record, I absolutely love Bridges and would like to see him on the Wolves. However, in the 8-10 games that I watched him play this year, I think he would have a very difficult time guarding the 3 in the NBA because he's not an elite athlete. If he's guaranteed to go in the back end of the Lottery this year, he'd be crazy not to go and be set financially for the rest of his life. With all that said, college basketball would much better off if kids like Bridges did decide to stay in school for 2-3 years.
Click to expand...

I think you might want to watch him a touch closer. in reality you're probably partially right he needs slightly better lateral quickness.

 

Tim1406 said:
I think you might want to watch him a touch closer. in reality you're probably partially right he needs slightly better lateral quickness.

Click to expand...

This is what I was referring to in Bold. I'm not saying that Miles isn't athletic...he is. His lack of lateral quickness would make it difficult for him to stay in front of guys like Wiggins for example but maybe his physicality and strength would help overcome this when it comes to defending. Bottom line is I want him out of the Big 10 and on the Timberwolves roster. :D
 

Slim Tubby said:
I know you follow Sparty much more closely than I do and for the record, I absolutely love Bridges and would like to see him on the Wolves. However, in the 8-10 games that I watched him play this year, I think he would have a very difficult time guarding the 3 in the NBA because he's not an elite athlete. If he's guaranteed to go in the back end of the Lottery this year, he'd be crazy not to go and be set financially for the rest of his life. With all that said, college basketball would much better off if kids like Bridges did decide to stay in school for 2-3 years.
Click to expand...

Agree and disagree. Bridges is a crazy, skywalker athlete. But I think you're right in that his best position in the league will probably be as an athletic stretch 4 (provided he can get his shot out to NBA range).
 



Zeppelin Gopher said:
Agree and disagree. Bridges is a crazy, skywalker athlete. But I think you're right in that his best position in the league will probably be as an athletic stretch 4 (provided he can get his shot out to NBA range).
Click to expand...

I can agree with that, Zep. From my point of view, his athleticism seems to show up more on the offensive end compared to the defensive side of the ball. Of course, I've only watched him play 8-10 times so I'm sure there is plenty that I've missed as a fan. Either way, he's a hell of a player and seems like a great kid.
 

Zeppelin Gopher said:
Agree and disagree. Bridges is a crazy, skywalker athlete. But I think you're right in that his best position in the league will probably be as an athletic stretch 4 (provided he can get his shot out to NBA range).
Click to expand...

Bridges is 6'7". He has become more guard than PF. He'll definitely be a SF in the NBA.
 

Slim Tubby said:
This is what I was referring to in Bold. I'm not saying that Miles isn't athletic...he is. His lack of lateral quickness would make it difficult for him to stay in front of guys like Wiggins for example but maybe his physicality and strength would help overcome this when it comes to defending. Bottom line is I want him out of the Big 10 and on the Timberwolves roster. :D
Click to expand...

He reminds me a bit of Derrick Williams. He could jump out the gym but was never able to guard 3's or be enough of a ballhandler to really play the wing in the NBA and was never really big enough to play the 4 full time. The league is shifting a bit but Bridges seems similar athletically and build wise
 

oleboy41 said:
He reminds me a bit of Derrick Williams. He could jump out the gym but was never able to guard 3's or be enough of a ballhandler to really play the wing in the NBA and was never really big enough to play the 4 full time. The league is shifting a bit but Bridges seems similar athletically and build wise
Click to expand...

Excellent comparison although I do believe Miles will be a much better player in the NBA than Williams.
 

Bridges speaks (via Twitter)

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 

Carmello

Bridges reminds me a bit of Carmelo Anthony. Will be a bigger 3, who at times can play the 4 in small ball. Will become a 20 ppg scorer in nba but will probably be a defensive liability similar to Carmelo. Not enough lateral quickness and commitment to defense to stop the quicker scorers at that spot.

Getting another Carmelo in the late lottery isn't the worst thing in the world!



oleboy41 said:
He reminds me a bit of Derrick Williams. He could jump out the gym but was never able to guard 3's or be enough of a ballhandler to really play the wing in the NBA and was never really big enough to play the 4 full time. The league is shifting a bit but Bridges seems similar athletically and build wise
Click to expand...
 

John Rothstein tweeted out that Northwestern is in Elijah Brown's top 5 who averaged over 18 PPG last year and over 20 PPG as a sophomore at New Mexico.
 

die hard gopher said:
John Rothstein tweeted out that Northwestern is in Elijah Brown's top 5 who averaged over 18 PPG last year and over 20 PPG as a sophomore at New Mexico.
Click to expand...

Did you mean to post this in the Miles Bridges' thread?
 


This will move MSU to the top 5 in the rankings and improve our conference's standing. Mostly a good thing. Especially if we beat them.
 


Well,

die hard gopher said:
I guess I felt it fit in the "Gophers are sliding all the way to #4 in the conference standings" narrative that was going on in this thread.
Click to expand...

I think it will be more difficult for the Gophers to finish 4th or higher next year than it was this year. Healthy we are very capable but the underdog, no respect role is a lot easier to play than the title contender role.
Can Fitzgerald get healthy and live up to the best player optimism? Can Washington be our best recruit in the last 10 years? How many of our top 6 returning guys elevate their game to another level? Is Nate Mason able to be All Big Ten 1st team again? Were the last two games without Akeem a temporary mirage or is his leadership and defense irreplaceable going forward. I'm confident the 5th leading scorer can be replaced...what about the other two parts?

Lotta questions for the Gophers...Is one year top 4 Big Ten proof? How does it compare to Izzo's 20 years straight in the NCAA Tournament?
Michigan State is clearly a more solid top 4 pick in the conference. I'm expecting the Gophers to be top 4 but it ain't gonna be easy.
 

60's Guy said:
I think it will be more difficult for the Gophers to finish 4th or higher next year than it was this year. Healthy we are very capable but the underdog, no respect role is a lot easier to play than the title contender role.
Can Fitzgerald get healthy and live up to the best player optimism? Can Washington be our best recruit in the last 10 years? How many of our top 6 returning guys elevate their game to another level? Is Nate Mason able to be All Big Ten 1st team again? Were the last two games without Akeem a temporary mirage or is his leadership and defense irreplaceable going forward. I'm confident the 5th leading scorer can be replaced...what about the other two parts?

Lotta questions for the Gophers...Is one year top 4 Big Ten proof? How does it compare to Izzo's 20 years straight in the NCAA Tournament?
Michigan State is clearly a more solid top 4 pick in the conference. I'm expecting the Gophers to be top 4 but it ain't gonna be easy.
Click to expand...

Depending on who stays in or removes their name from draft I would say that my top 4 would be MSU, Purdue, Minnesota, and Maryland in that order.
 

march madness said:
Bridges reminds me a bit of Carmelo Anthony. Will be a bigger 3, who at times can play the 4 in small ball. Will become a 20 ppg scorer in nba but will probably be a defensive liability similar to Carmelo. Not enough lateral quickness and commitment to defense to stop the quicker scorers at that spot.

Getting another Carmelo in the late lottery isn't the worst thing in the world!
Click to expand...

I am not at all a fan of Carmelo Anthony or his game. That being said, there is almost zero chance that Bridges will be even in the same ballpark as Carmelo as an NBA player.
 

A lot will depend on the B1G schedule, we could end up playing Sparty only once and get the game at home. We could get a better schedule than last year.

In any case, here is what I expect:

1. Big step forward in Coffey. I really think he will hit the weights with his dad and add 10-15 pounds of muscle. I am also sure he will be more assertive next year.
2. McBrayer should also be stronger. Hopefully he improves his handle.
3. Reggie should be able to play with less fouls. improve his O game.
4. Expect Murphy to be in "BEAST MODE" all season. He could double-double for the schedule.
5. Improvement from Curry with more strength and weight he will push Murph which is a good thing.
6. Konate should improve to be better again and be a very good backup center.
7. Washington should step in and contribute similar to Coffey as a freshman.
8. Pitino will make this team better in the off-season and throughout the year.

Things I worry about:

1. Fitz - two ACLs is no easy return.
2. Mason - climbed the summit last year. Now he needs to stay there. Ask Trimble how hard that is.
3. Hurt - He needs to add weight and quickness. Easier said than done. He better work on his catch and release so he can be effective with a small opening to get his shot off accurately. Is Hoffarber around to show him how?
4. Harris - he is low on the ratings for a reason. I hope it puts an Aaron Rodgers sized chip on his shoulder to prove them all wrong.
5. Injuries - we made it through the past year pretty darn clean after Fitz's knee. What will happen with a mid-season injury?
 

Otis, I pretty much agree with all that. However, I'd make the number priority for all them to improve their shooting. More than anybody, to be a stud, Coffey needs better ball handling and a new shot as Pitino said. I predict Murphy and Curry make some 3's in games next year.
 

I hope Murphy doesn't shoot another 3 unless he drastically improves. There are reasons he isn't being guarded out there. Other coaches are smart.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom