Big Ten Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

By Joey Loose | Jul 12, 2023

Mar 15, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Frank Kaminsky (44) posts up against Michigan State Spartans guard/forward Branden Dawson (22) and guard Denzel Valentine (45) during the first half in the championship game of the Big Ten Tournament at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /

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Big Ten Basketball Michigan State Spartans guard Miles Bridges Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /

18. Miles Bridges

A major weapon on a few dominant Spartans squads, Bridges is a 6’7 forward originally from Flint, Michigan. A five-star recruit, he joined Michigan State in 2016 and left two years later as a first-round draft pick in the NBA. In between, there were plenty of memorable moments.

During his first campaign, Bridges averaged 16.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, becoming the Spartans’ top scoring and rebounding threat right away. He’d lead Michigan State to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and have some nice games, including a 33-point outburst against Purdue. As a sophomore, Bridges put up similar numbers. He had a 21-rebound performance in a nonconference win over Savannah State and would drop 29 points on Bucknell in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Bridges was Big Ten Rookie of the Year in 2017 and lived up to the hype even after that. His sophomore year saw him named a Second Team All-American, anchoring the Spartans to a 30-win season and Big Ten regular season championship. He was clearly among the league’s best players, with impressive scoring and rebounding numbers, it’s just a shame he never got past the opening weekend of the Big Dance.

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