Mikal Bridges is taking his talents to the NBA.
The Villanova guard is bypassing his final year of NCAA eligbility to enter this year's draft, he told ESPN Tuesday.
"I bring winning to your team," Bridges said on why he should be drafted. "I learned about that at Villanova, what is a winning, championship atmosphere and what you've got to do to achieve it. You have to always be locked in. Two championships in three years — not a lot of people have done that."
Bridges was a freshman when Villanova defeated North Carolina in the NCAA title game in 2016. He was also a huge piece of this year's championship team, posting 19 points in 36 minutes of play to defeat Michigan.
"There's space in the NBA on the floor, and there's this move toward positionless basketball that I fit into," Bridges said. "I can shoot the ball. I can defend. I can move without the ball. I'm progressing in my game, getting better through work every day."
Bridges, who was the 2018 Julius Erving Award winner as the top small forward in college basketball, averaged 17.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 51 percent shooting this season as a junior.
"My success has been because of a lot of hard work and a lot of patience," Bridges said. "My first year in college, that was the longest time I ever sat out. Villanova and the coaches helped me to build a really strong work ethic. I didn't have as much of an ethic my freshman year, but I was pushed a lot by my coaches and that helped get me to become the player that I am."
