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NBA Draft prospects to watch for the Orlando Magic: Christmas Edition

By Ricky Scricca

TUCSON, AZ - DECEMBER 09: Collin Sexton #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide passes the ball around Allonzo Trier #35 of the Arizona Wildcats during the second half of the college basketball game at McKale Center on December 9, 2017 in Tucson, Arizona. The Wildcats defeated the Crimson Tide 88-82. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
TUCSON, AZ - DECEMBER 09: Collin Sexton #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide passes the ball around Allonzo Trier #35 of the Arizona Wildcats during the second half of the college basketball game at McKale Center on December 9, 2017 in Tucson, Arizona. The Wildcats defeated the Crimson Tide 88-82. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Mikal Bridges, Villanova

Mikal Bridges, a long, versatile small forward at Villanova, has been one of the best players in the NCAA so far this season.

NBAmath.com’s Total Points Added (TPA) calculates how many points above average a player contributed on each offensive play type and saved on each defensive play type and then adds it together into one number. Bridges has been at or around the top of the country – offensively, defensively and cumulatively – all season long in this statistic.

He grades so well in this stat in part because he knows how to pick his spots. He has a distinct role at Villanova, playing mostly off the ball, and he excels in it. You will not find him wasting possessions and taking shots he cannot make. Players like him who play to their strengths are valuable and tend to grade well in TPA.

The other reason is he is just an unbelievably talented two-way player. His physical frame at 6-foot-6 with a 7-foot wingspan allows him to guard multiple positions. He is a knockdown three-point shooter (46.6 percent on 5.3 attempts per game). He is an impressive finisher. Bridges has a solid steal-to-foul ratio at 1.278, which indicates high defensive IQ and quick hands.

His true shooting percentage, which accounts for the extra points provided by made threes and free throws, has stayed in the high 60s for his entire college career. His current mark of 66.7 percent would be third in the NBA right now behind only Clint Capela and Kyle Korver. But that number, as impressive as it is, is a step down from his mark of 68.1 percent last year.

Mikal Bridges is a star role player. He may never be a superstar, but he has a high floor and projects clearly into a coveted NBA role as a two-way 3-and-D wing. As much as the Magic might need a primary ball handler, Bridges would be a safe pick and can provide immense value to any team.