Jay Wright says Mikal Bridges is his best defensive player, ever

Happy Tuesday, ‘Nova Nation! We all love Mikal Bridges, but Jay REALLY loves him. He went out of his way to say he’s the best defensive player that Villanova had under his watch, and the best he’s seen since Gary Massey in the 80s.

Jay’s usually pretty reserved about his guys, and this is just about as far as I’ve seen him go in openly praising his guys to the media. That goes to show you how special Killz is.

Also, Villanova will host Media Day today. We are sending three of our new student writers, so expect plenty of content coming out of that.

And now, the “news.”

Potential and reality collide for Villanova's Mikal Bridges
Bridges is the best NBA prospect in the city, his name in the first round of most mock drafts, if he decides to make this season his last.

Should Villanova pursue former Arizona commit Jahvon Quinerly? | Big East Coast Bias
This has been a hot topic all week long.

Adrian Baldwin adds early interest | Scout
Adrian Baldwin may just be a sophomore prospect, but he's already adding college scholarship offers and interest. Villanova has reached out.

The 100 Most Influential People in Philadelphia | Philadelphia Magazine
Who has clout? Who has power? Who has sway? Philadelphia magazine’s ranking of the 100 people shaping the way we think, talk, work and live right now. Guess where Jay Wright lands.

ESPN college hoops preseason All-American teams | ESPN
There are freshmen and seniors and everything in between, big names (Michael Porter Jr.) and familiar faces (Miles Bridges, Michigan State) and places (Duke). There is one big, noticeable absence, with a prominent school with zero representatives. It's not Villanova, and the Big East has a player on each of the Top 3 teams.

North Carolina Tar Heels' Joel Berry breaks hand | ESPN
North Carolina point guard Joel Berry II will likely miss the start of the regular season after breaking a bone in his hand.