Editor's note: The 2016-2017 college basketball season will be the "Year of the Freshmen," featuring what could be the best class we've ever seen. Over the next two weeks, we will get familiar with the best of the best, examining who they are and where each of the top 10 prospects in the 2016 ESPN 100 came from.
Read more: No. 10 Duke's Frank Jackson
| No. 9 Kentucky's Malik Monk
No. 8 Michigan State's Miles Bridges | No. 7 Washington's Markelle Fultz
No. 6 Kentucky's De'Aaron Fox | No. 5 Kentucky's Bam Adebayo
No. 4 UCLA's Lonzo Ball | No. 3 Duke's Jayson Tatum
No. 2 Kansas' Josh Jackson | No. 1 Duke's Harry Giles
Flint, Michigan, natives go to Michigan State. That's been the routine since Mateen Cleaves, Morris Peterson and Charlie Bell led the Spartans to the 2000 NCAA championship. Miles Bridges, despite transferring to Huntington Prep (West Virginia) for the latter portion of his high school season, followed those footsteps. The top-10 prospect will play a major part in replacing All-American and first-round pick Denzel Valentine.
Game-changing athleticism
As with some other top-10 prospects, the thing that stands out most about Bridges to scouts and coaches is his athleticism. In the open floor, on the offensive glass, defensively -- it's all about Bridges' athleticism.
"He has the athleticism to play in the NBA," one NBA scout said. "He will make momentum-changing plays. Alley-oops, stick-back dunks, run someone down and block a shot. He'll be able to make plays defensively. He'll rebound the hell out of the ball. In the open court, he's very impressive, especially finishing."
Despite standing just 6-foot-7, Bridges was one of the best offensive rebounders in the 2016 class.
"He's so strong, and he's so athletic, and he plays a little bit bigger than his height would indicate," one college coach said. "I think he's going to be physically as strong as anyone he matches up with, and he doesn't allow himself to give up offensive rebound opportunities."
The 3 or the 4?
The big question with Bridges is where he will play for Michigan State. If the Spartans were fully healthy, there's a chance he would slide down to the small forward position. But with UNLV transfer Ben Carter out indefinitely after knee surgery and Gavin Schilling also suffering a significant knee injury, Bridges will likely get a chance to play power forward.
"It's a blessing in a disguise for him," one college coach said. "At the 4, people are going to have a really hard time containing his quickness. They'll be putting him around the basket a lot more, based on the sets they run. That will allow him to offensively rebound at a higher clip, where he's most effective. Ten feet and in, putbacks, lobs, kind of like Branden Dawson but better."
Defensively, guarding bigger players might be an easy adjustment as well.
"I don't think he's used to having to sit down and guard a perimeter player," a college coach said. "He's looking for a steal or run out, not sitting in a stance, keeping another guard out of the lane. Guarding off the bounce is big part of what [Tom] Izzo demands. He's better-suited to guard up a position as well."
Production early
With Valentine gone, there is a major role to fill on the offensive end for the Spartans. Bridges put up big scoring numbers at the high school level, but his stepping in and immediately become an All-American doesn't seem likely.
"There are going to be a lot of games where teams try to pack the paint and crowd the floor," one college coach said. "He's a bull in a china shop sometimes offensively. But he's dynamic. He's going to have two, three drives a half where he flashes. A couple of times a half, he'll have a big putback dunk, do something at the high post. Because he's not a big-time shooter or shot-maker, it becomes harder. That's something that will give him trouble."
The loss of Bryn Forbes and guys who could keep defenses honest from the perimeter might hurt Bridges too.
"He's not a substitute for Denzel, he's not that caliber a shot-maker or player," an NBA scout said. "Izzo has had incredible shooting the last few years. They've been able to space the floor, but they won't be as good in that regard this year. That may affect Bridges a little bit, in terms of congestion in the half court.
"Because Michigan State is down a little bit this year, Bridges might be put in a more demanding spot. He's not a big-time scorer or creator. He plays in the flow and off other good players. He's not equipped to play structured, half-court basketball right now, and he'll play a lot more of that in college."