Michigan State, 3rd seed
The verdict is still out on whether or not Miles Bridges should have returned to school, and this year’s tournament might determine the final answer. If he — and Michigan State — shows out, his stock could continue its upward trend. If he reverts back to old habits, some scouts might sour on the sophomore.
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That said, Bridges is still a virtual lock in the lottery discussion. He hasn’t shown all the improvements scouts wanted to see in year two, but his passing has improved and he’s still an elite athlete capable of knocking down shots from deep. His name is associated with the Sixers quite often.
Sparty also has another lottery talent in Jaren Jackson Jr., who has officially played his way out of the Sixers’ range. As somebody I was high on before the season, he has outperformed even my expectations. In a class highlighted by elite bigs, his shooting, physical tools, and defensive prowess are appealing.
Michigan State is one of my Final Four teams, even if they have a decent chunk of competition in their region (Duke, Kansas). Bridges said he returned to school to win a championship, and that feels very possible.