Bridges developing during redshirt season with West Virginia basketball
West Virginia is a deep basketball team.
Head coach Bob Huggins has the ability to go 12-deep, a number that could easily be 13 if not for a predetermined decision to redshirt true freshman Jalen Bridges.
Bridges, 6-foot-7, 210-pounds, committed to the Mountaineers only a few days before the start of school following an official visit in August. He was originally set to attend prep school after earning the Bill Evans award given to the state’s top basketball player in 2019.
The Fairmont product could have played this year, for sure. But it was a family decision between Bridges and his father Cory to improve his strength to become a more well-rounded product by the time he takes the floor following a redshirt season.
“I feel like basketball wise, my skills are definitely on par to where I can play right now. But physically I’m not ready, I have to get stronger,” Bridges said following the exhibition game.
In that contest, his only action in a West Virginia uniform to date, Bridges tallied four points, including a steal and a highlight dunk, showcasing some of the skill set that made him a highly recruited prospect at the high school level.
It was but a glimpse of what the athletic wing can bring to the table. But even seeing the floor for a taste of college basketball didn’t deter him.
“I don’t have to worry about games or being sore or anything so I just need to go in the weight room and grind every day and practice,” he said after the performance.
So far so good. Bridges has only continued to get better and better with his development and has become one of the best players in the weight room as well. He has added not only strength but size to his frame and the decision to sit out is being reinforced by his growth on the court.
The move also has allowed him to practice against college level athletes, which has given him an idea of what to expect once he does make his debut next season.
“Going to a prep school he’s going to play against high school kids. Coming here he’s going to play against men,” Huggins said.
Bridges, who averaged 21.6 points and 6.7 rebounds last season for the Polar Bears, would clearly be among the better players in the rotation right now had he not been redshirting according to Huggins but it makes his future an exciting one.
“He’s gotten better and better and better. I’ve been amazed really at how much better he’s gotten,” Huggins said. “His attitude toward practice and the way he approaches things has been absolutely terrific.”
WATCH: Musings from the Mountains | West Virginia Basketball | Episode 66
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