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Villanova Wildcats: Mikal Bridges staying local after Philadelphia 76ers draft forward

By Dan Parzych

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 20: NBA Draft Prospect Mikal Bridges speaks to the media before the 2018 NBA Draft at the Grand Hyatt New York Grand Central Terminal on June 20, 2018 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 20: NBA Draft Prospect Mikal Bridges speaks to the media before the 2018 NBA Draft at the Grand Hyatt New York Grand Central Terminal on June 20, 2018 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images) /
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With the No. 10 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers selected Mikal Bridges from the Villanova Wildcats.

Leading up to the 2018 NBA Draft, there was plenty of speculation surrounding the Philadelphia 76ers and whether they would allow Mikal Bridges to stay local if the Villanova Wildcats star was still available at No. 10.

Turns out, that speculation was right on the money after the Sixers decided to go with the two-time champion with their first selection of the draft, meaning Bridges gets to stay local.

Without question, Bridges was one of the main reasons behind Villanova’s epic tournament run this past season, in which the Wildcats took home their second title in three years, with every win coming by double-digits.

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From his 23-point performance against Alabama in the second round to converting 7-of-12 field goals in the National Championship game against the Michigan Wolverines, no one can imagine how this year’s tournament would have been without Bridges in the picture.

Losing Bridges for the NBA was a tough pill to swallow since there’s nothing Jay Wright would have loved more than to see one of his stars return for another year, but at least with the Sixers drafting him, they can always attend games to watch since he’s going to be local.

The Wildcats have seen plenty of former players go on to succeed at the NBA level, and when looking at the potential fit as a member of Philadelphia, chances are Bridges will soon see his name added to that list.

It’s not often a college player gets to stay local by joining a professional team, and Bridges realizes how fortunate he is to join a young team on the rise like the Sixers. While most teams in the No. 10 spot are usually coming off a disappointing season in which they missed out on the playoffs, keep in mind that Philadelphia acquired the pick from the Los Angeles Lakers.

By joining a Sixers team coming off a 52-win season along with a trip to the semifinals of the playoffs, Bridges now gets the opportunity to help this team reach a whole new level during the 2018-19 season.

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Since a majority of Wildcat fans are already Sixers fans, this selection of Bridges seems like one of the best things that could have happened for both parties, and it’s going to be exciting to see how his rookie season plays out, especially since he already has a ton of fans in the area.

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