Projected second-round pick Jalen Bridges ‘forever grateful’ to enter NBA draft
Jalen Bridges previously tested the predraft process, and the former Baylor forward believes that experience is helping him this year in workouts and interviews with teams.
Bridges played the first two years of his college career at West Virginia before transferring to Baylor. He declared for the NBA draft after his junior year with the Bears before withdrawing and returning to play this past season.
The 6-foot-8 forward competed in the G League Elite Camp and worked out with the Charlotte Hornets last year. Bridges, speaking Thursday after working out with the Golden State Warriors, said that experience helped prepare him this time around.
I feel like last year really, really, really helped me. It was the first time I really got to be around professionals because, in West Virginia, there are not a lot of guys who have done what I’m trying to do. Being around guys in the league, seeing how they carry themselves on and off the court, seeing their habits and just taking that and making them my habits and taking them back to school with me helped me be ready for this moment and perform in these workouts.
Bridges was named to the All-Big 12 third team after averaging 12.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 blocks on 41.2% shooting from 3-point range. He registered five 20-point games, including a season-high 32 points and nine rebounds on March 4.
The 23-year-old was among the 80-plus prospects invited to compete in the draft combine last month in Chicago, Illinois. He showed off his overall skill set in the 5-on-5 scrimmages, averaging 10.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in two games.
Bridges projects to check several boxes at the next level, as a forward who can space the floor and defend multiple positions with his 6-foot, 10-inch wingspan. He believes those attributes will enable him to make an immediate impact.
“I feel like the aspects that are most translatable on Day 1 would probably be my shooting and defense and my activity,” Bridges said. “I know how to play. I feel like what I would need to work on, not necessarily my ballhandling in general but just like the angles on my drives and little minor details like that.”
He is currently projected to be a second-round pick. However, he’ll be able to improve his draft stock in interviews and workouts throughout the rest of the predraft process. He will have other visits scheduled ahead of the draft on June 26-27.
After playing four years in college, Bridges is appreciative of the opportunity to test the draft. He is eager to showcase himself in front of teams and begin the next journey of his career.
“It is easy to say when you’re a kid that you want to play in the NBA, but it is a whole ‘nother thing to dedicate your life to this craft and sacrifice friends, family and fun — your freedom basically — to chase after a very exclusive club, which is one of the hardest things to do,” Bridges said. “I’m forever grateful and truly blessed to be in this position and have opportunities like these.”
