Who Is Mikal Bridges?

Mikal Bridges is a professional NBA basketball player who currently wears the New York Knicks jersey. Born on August 30, 1996, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Bridges played college basketball at Villanova University, where he was part of a national championship-winning program before entering the professional ranks.

The 2018 NBA Draft brought Bridges into the league when the Phoenix Suns selected him 10th overall — technically after a draft-night trade from the Philadelphia 76ers transferred his rights to Phoenix. He spent five productive seasons in the desert, growing from a promising two-way rookie into one of the league's most respected wing defenders and a reliable offensive contributor.

In February 2023, Bridges became central to a major blockbuster trade that sent him to the Brooklyn Nets as part of the deal involving Kevin Durant's move to Phoenix. After one season with Brooklyn, the New York Knicks acquired him in June 2024, signing him to a long-term extension that made him a cornerstone of the franchise going forward.

Standing 6 feet 7 inches tall with an exceptionally long wingspan, Bridges fits the modern NBA prototype for a versatile wing player. He can guard multiple positions defensively, knock down three-pointers on offense, and contribute in transition — making him exactly the kind of complete player championship rosters are built around.

How to Watch Knicks Games Live on TV

The most straightforward way to watch Mikal Bridges is through a traditional cable or satellite package that includes the right channels. Here is exactly what you need:

• MSG Network: The primary broadcast home for Knicks games in the New York metro area. This regional sports network carries the majority of non-nationally televised regular season games. Check availability with Optimum, Spectrum, Verizon Fios, or DirecTV in your area.
• ESPN and ABC: National prime-time games, marquee matchups, and playoff contests air on these networks. Both are included in most standard cable and satellite packages across the country.
• TNT and TBS: Warner Bros. Discovery networks carry a significant share of the NBA regular season schedule and playoff games. Standard cable packages typically include both at no extra cost.
• NBA TV: A dedicated basketball channel available as a cable add-on or through streaming services. Carries select regular season games, exclusive replays, and extensive analysis programming throughout the season.

To confirm which channel broadcasts any specific Knicks game, visit the official NBA schedule at NBA.com/schedule — each game listing displays the broadcast network clearly next to the tip-off time.

How to Stream Knicks Games Without Cable

No cable subscription? You still have several strong options to catch every Mikal Bridges performance from any device:

1. NBA League Pass: The official NBA streaming service costs approximately $14.99/month or $99.99 per full season. It delivers all out-of-market games in high definition. In-market blackout restrictions apply, meaning fans in the New York area will not see Knicks home games here — but traveling fans and those outside the market get excellent value.
2. Sling TV: A live TV streaming service that includes ESPN, TNT, and TBS in its Orange + Blue plan, starting around $55/month. Add the Sports Extra package to unlock NBA TV. No hardware required — works on phone, tablet, smart TV, or computer with no contract.
3. YouTube TV: Includes ESPN, ABC, TNT, and TBS in its base plan at approximately $72.99/month. YouTube TV also provides unlimited cloud DVR storage, so you can set every Knicks game to record automatically and watch later without spoilers.
4. FuboTV: Strong sports coverage that includes ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV. Offers a 7-day free trial so you can evaluate it before paying. The Pro plan starts around $79.99/month with no long-term contract required.
5. Hulu + Live TV: Bundles live channels including ESPN, ABC, and TNT with the full Hulu streaming library for approximately $82.99/month. The subscription also includes Disney+ and ESPN+ at no additional charge.
6. NBA App free games: The official NBA app streams one free game per day during the regular season. Open the app on iOS or Android, navigate to the Watch tab, and look for the featured free game of the day. This is ideal for casual fans who only need occasional access without a subscription commitment.

During the playoffs, many games air on ABC, which is available free over-the-air with a basic antenna in most US markets — no subscription of any kind required.

How to Track Mikal Bridges' Stats in Real Time

Staying current on Bridges' night-to-night performance is straightforward with the right tools, most of which are completely free:

• NBA App (iOS and Android, free): The official app delivers live box scores, play-by-play tracking, and player stats during every game. Search for Mikal Bridges under the Players tab to see his current season averages, full game log, and shooting splits. Enable push notifications to receive alerts when Knicks games start or when Bridges reaches scoring milestones mid-game.
• ESPN App and ESPN.com (free): Search Mikal Bridges in the NBA section to pull up his complete game log, season statistics, and news feed. The Player Comparison tool lets you measure his numbers against other wings across any statistical category.
• Basketball-Reference.com (free): The gold standard for basketball statistics. Navigate to the Players section and search Bridges to find advanced metrics including PER (Player Efficiency Rating), BPM (Box Plus/Minus), Win Shares, and detailed game logs stretching back to his rookie season. No login or subscription required — the entire database is openly accessible.
• StatMuse.com (free): A clean, fast interface built for natural language stat queries. Type a question like Mikal Bridges stats this season or Mikal Bridges best defensive games and receive formatted results instantly, complete with context and rankings. Results are easy to screenshot and share via social media.
• NBA.com/stats (free): The official NBA statistics hub includes shot charts, defensive tracking data, hustle stats, and advanced dashboards not available on most third-party sites. Visit NBA.com/stats and search for Bridges to access his complete analytical profile including contested shots, deflections, and opponent field goal percentages when guarded by him.

Understanding Mikal Bridges' Playing Style

Knowing what to look for transforms watching Bridges from passive to engaging. His game has three defining dimensions that set him apart from most NBA wings:

Elite Perimeter Defense

Defense is Bridges' signature. He regularly accepts the most difficult defensive assignment in any given game: guarding the opposing team's best wing or guard for the entirety of the contest. Watch his footwork when defending off the ball — he stays physically connected to his assignment through screens, reads cutting actions before they develop, and contests shots without reaching or collecting unnecessary fouls.

Even when the Knicks possess the ball, keep Bridges in your sightline. His positioning on the weak side of the floor, his active hands in passing lanes, and his disciplined rotations when his teammates are beaten off the dribble are what coaches and analysts reference when describing his elite-level defensive profile. Watching him off the ball reveals as much as watching him on it.

Three-Point Shooting and Floor Spacing

On the offensive end, Bridges is a reliable three-point shooter who stretches the floor and creates space for his teammates. He shoots best off the catch — coming off pin-down screens or receiving kick-out passes from ball-handlers who have collapsed the defense into the paint. His mechanics stay consistent across a full game: quick release, balanced base, and minimal deviation in his shooting motion under fatigue.

Notice how defenders must respect his three-point range enough to chase him off the arc, which in turn creates driving lanes for Knicks guards and open cuts for teammates working to the basket. His spacing value extends well beyond the shots he actually takes.

Transition Running and Finishing

Bridges excels in the open court after defensive stops. He sprints the floor immediately on any change of possession, filling the outside lanes and converting fast-break opportunities efficiently. His length and athleticism allow him to finish above the rim in transition, and his understanding of lane positioning makes him a consistent outlet target for Knicks guards pushing the pace.

How to Follow Mikal Bridges on Social Media

Social media provides the fastest access to highlights, injury news, and behind-the-scenes Knicks content between games:

• Instagram: Follow @nyknicks for official team content including locker room footage, pre-game warmups, and post-game highlight clips. The NBA's account @nba posts individual player highlights after standout performances, and Bridges features regularly during strong games.
• X (formerly Twitter): The @nyknicks account provides real-time updates during games including score alerts, key play descriptions, and highlight video clips. Beat reporters from The Athletic, New York Post, and New York Daily News share injury updates, rotation notes, and direct post-practice quotes about Bridges throughout the week.
• YouTube: The NBA's official YouTube channel uploads full game highlight packages within a few hours of each final buzzer. Search Mikal Bridges highlights or Knicks highlights tonight to find his individual performance clips sorted by date. The channel is completely free and requires no account or subscription to watch.
• TikTok: The @nba TikTok account posts short-form highlight clips optimized for mobile viewing with quick vertical formats. Knicks fan accounts on TikTok also create edited Bridges content frequently during the season, particularly after significant defensive performances or scoring outbursts.

Enabling push notifications for @nyknicks and @nba on whichever platform you prefer means alerts arrive the moment new content publishes — especially valuable during playoff runs when the volume and significance of content increases substantially.

Fantasy Basketball Tips for Mikal Bridges Owners

If you play fantasy basketball and have Bridges on your roster — or are evaluating whether to add or trade for him — here is how to get the most from his spot:

Categories He Contributes To

Bridges adds the most fantasy value in: points, three-pointers made, steals, and field goal percentage. In deeper leagues that count blocks, he contributes modestly there as well. Do not draft him with strong expectations for rebounding totals or assist numbers — those categories are not central to his game and will not pay off consistently.

Durability as a Fantasy Asset

One of Bridges' most underrated fantasy qualities is his availability. He built a well-documented reputation for exceptional durability, playing through multiple consecutive seasons without missing a regular season game — an increasingly rare trait in the modern NBA where load management and scheduled rest have become standard practice for star players. While no player is immune to injury, his track record of availability makes him a reliable weekly starter rather than an unreliable high-ceiling gamble.

Scheduling and Lineup Decisions

Check the Knicks' weekly schedule before finalizing your lineup each period. Like most players, Bridges may see adjusted minutes on the second night of back-to-back games. The NBA app and ESPN both flag back-to-back situations clearly on the schedule view so you can see them at a glance. Monitor Knicks beat reporters the day before games — any soreness, minor ankle concern, or early exit in practice will appear in their reporting before the official NBA injury report deadline, giving you an edge in daily fantasy formats.

Trade Value in Keeper and Dynasty Leagues

In dynasty and keeper formats, Bridges holds strong long-term trade value. His multi-year Knicks contract provides roster security through the near future, his age places him firmly in his peak years as a professional athlete, and his consistent statistical profile makes him straightforward to project in trade negotiations. He is the type of player who holds fantasy value across multiple consecutive seasons rather than producing one strong year and declining — making him a dependable building block rather than a volatile rental.