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2018 NBA Mock Draft: Full first round before 2018 NCAA Tournament

By Maxwell Ogden

MADRID, SPAIN - JANUARY 25: Luka Doncic, #7 guard of Real Madrid during the 2017/2018 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Regular Season Round 20 game between Real Madrid v Anadolu Efes Istanbul at Wizink Arena on January 25, 2018 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Sonia Canada/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN - JANUARY 25: Luka Doncic, #7 guard of Real Madrid during the 2017/2018 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Regular Season Round 20 game between Real Madrid v Anadolu Efes Istanbul at Wizink Arena on January 25, 2018 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Sonia Canada/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – FEBRUARY 04: Mikal Bridges #25 of the Villanova Wildcats looks to pass against Desi Rodriguez #20 of the Seton Hall Pirates during the second half at the Wells Fargo Center on February 4, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Villanova defeated Seton Hall 92-76. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – FEBRUARY 04: Mikal Bridges #25 of the Villanova Wildcats looks to pass against Desi Rodriguez #20 of the Seton Hall Pirates during the second half at the Wells Fargo Center on February 4, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Villanova defeated Seton Hall 92-76. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images) /

8. player. 24. . Guard/Forward. Villanova Wildcats. Mikal Bridges

Age: 21 (8/30/1996)
Height, Weight, Wingspan: 6’7″, 210 pounds, 7’2″
Slash Line: .521/.433/.851
Season Averages: 32.6 MPG, 18.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 2.6 3PM

The Chicago Bulls have two viable options at No. 8 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft: A rim protector and a wing defender. With Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine, and Lauri Markkanen viewed as franchise cornerstones, finding ideal complements at small forward and center should be the focus.

Unfortunately for the New York Knicks, that ultimately leads the Bulls to selecting the top player on the board: Villanova Wildcats star Mikal Bridges.

Bridges is the No. 1 player on my big board for the Knicks. He’s an elite three-point shooter and the best on-ball defender in this draft class, which gives him a basement of being a high-level 3-and-D player at the next level if his work ethic remains.

For the Bulls, acquiring Bridges would mean finding a bridge between Dunn, LaVine, and Markkanen on both ends of the floor.

Bridges has dramatically improved as a shot creator, but he’s more than comfortable working without the ball to get open for three-point field goal attempts. Defensively, he and Dunn would help form one of the best young perimeter duos in the NBA.

If ever there were a reason for the Knicks to embrace the tank, it would be to prevent the Bulls from selecting the best player for New York.

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