Phoenix Suns: 5 goals for Mikal Bridges’ rookie season

5. Learn to attack off the bounce

Even surface-level research on Mikal Bridges’ game reveals a common area for improvement: his ball-handling and secondary playmaking. In his last two years with the Wildcats, he averaged just 2.0 and 1.9 assists per game.

As a rookie, his primary focuses will be spreading the floor and lending his versatility and length to the league’s worst defense, but he should also try to refine these weaker facets of his game.

Because he was a 3-point marksman during his three years in college, Bridges already has the reputation of being a shooter. That means defenders will close out hard on him, not expecting a first-year player who’s able to put the ball on the ground and blow by them.

Though he showed strength and finishing ability on straight-line drives at Villanova, Bridges needs to develop a tighter handle at the next level. If he’s able to do so, and learn to find open shooters when the help defense arrives, he’ll be a much more useful player on offense than just a spot-up shooter standing in the corner.