NBA Mock Draft Pick #9 — Mikal Bridges, Forward, Villanova

SBNation’s New York Knicks blog Posting and Toasting explains the pick:

This is perhaps the least sexy option for the Knicks. Sure, there’s always a chance that Mikal Bridges morphs into a Klay Thompson-esque sharpshooter - hitting 43.5% on 6.0 three-point attempts last season is nothing to sneeze at - but the Knicks can at least count on him to be a stout, defensive-minded role player. Like pretty much every other new head coach this franchise has seen over the past two decades, David Fizdale has come in preaching defense. The main difference is that with a foundation of Kristaps Porzingis and Frank Ntilikina, Fiz might just have the pieces to do it. And Bridges fits this new credo to a T, with a lengthy history of shutting down opposing players during his career at Villanova. He also possesses the freaky-deaky length (7’0” wingspan) to match. Imagine trying to negotiate through the likes of Birdges and Ntilikina on the perimeter, only to encounter the Latvian Kraken in the paint! That’s one dream the defense-starved denizens of MSG would be happy to wake up to.

1. Suns DEANDRE AYTON
2. Kings LUKA DONCIC
3. Hawks JAREN JACKSON
4. Grizzlies MARVIN BAGLEY III
5. Mavs WENDELL CARTER JR.
6. Magic MO BAMBA
7. Bulls MICHAEL PORTER JR.
8. Cavaliers TRAE YOUNG
9. Knicks MIKAL BRIDGES
10. Sixers ZHAIRE SMITH
11. Mavs MILES BRIDGES
12. Clippers SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER
13. Magic ELIE OKOBO
14. Nuggets KEVIN KNOX
15. Wizards ROBERT WILLIAMS
16. Suns COLLIN SEXTON
17. Bucks LONNIE WALKER
18. Spurs TROY BROWN
19. Hawks DE’ANTHONY MELTON
20. Wolves KEVIN HUERTER
21. Jazz CHANDLER HUTCHISON
22. Bulls JOSH OKOGIE
23. Pacers KEITA BATES-DIOP
24. Nets GRAYSON ALLEN
25. Lakers AARON HOLIDAY
26. Sixers JACOB EVANS
27. Celtics JEROME ROBINSON
28. Warriors KHYRI THOMAS
29. Blazers DONTE DIVINCENZO
30. Hawks MELVIN FRAZIER

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