Mikal Bridges helped the Phoenix Suns win the Western Conference this past season and is now a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.
The 6-foot-6 wing, who has a 7-foot-1 wingspan, did a better job shutting down Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry than almost any other player in the league has done so far this year. For the second season in a row, Bridges is also shooting better than 40.0 percent on three-pointers.
Bridges caught up with HoopsHype and discussed what he learned from his trip to the NBA Finals, how he has grown from playing alongside Chris Paul, and plenty more.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.