VILLANOVA, Pa. – Villanova today announced that it will retire the jersey of 2018 All-American and two-time NCAA national champion Mikal Bridges at halftime of its men's basketball home game against Maryland on Friday, Nov. 17 (8:30 p.m./FS1 and the IHeart Villanova Radio Network).
 
"From his first day on campus, Mikal's selflessness endeared him to his teammates, coaches, and the entire Nova Nation," said Villanova head coach Kyle Neptune, who was a Wildcats' assistant coach throughout Bridges' college career from 2014-18. "In his four years at Villanova, his work ethic helped him grow into an All-American and a two-time NCAA national champion. Today he remains an inspiration to our current players as he thrives in the NBA.
 
"We're so excited to add Mikal's name to the list of Villanova legends whose jerseys have been retired."
 
A Philadelphia native, Bridges came to Villanova from Great Valley High School in Malvern, Pa. After spending the 2014-15 season as a redshirt, the 6-8 forward saw his role as a versatile defensive stopper grow in 2015-16, highlighted by a five-steal performance, including a critical one in the final minute, to help VU secure a 64-59 victory over Kansas in the NCAA South Regional Final. The Wildcats would go on to win the NCAA national title with a 77-74 victory over North Carolina.
 
In 2016-17, Bridges moved into the Wildcats' starting lineup and earned BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year honors on a team that posted a 32-4 record, while earning the conference regular season and tournament titles.
 
Alongside fellow team captains Jalen Brunson and Phil Booth, Bridges – who wore jersey No. 25 at VU - set the tone for a 2017-18 squad that posted a 36-4 record and won each of its six NCAA Tournament games by double digits on the way to the NCAA national title. Bridges became the second consecutive Wildcat to be named winner of the Julius Erving Award as the nation's top small forward, joining former teammate Josh Hart.
 
In Bridges' four seasons at Villanova, the Wildcats posted a 136-16 record (.895).
 
Bridges was selected with the 10^th overall pick in the 2018 National Basketball Association Draft by Philadelphia and immediately dealt to Phoenix, where in 2022 he was named to the First Team All-NBA Defensive Team. Traded to Brooklyn on Feb. 9, 2023, Bridges became just the 42^nd player in NBA history to play in 83 regular season games. In the summer of 2023, he played a pivotal role alongside former VU teammates Brunson and Hart for the USA Basketball Senior Men's National Team.
 
It's worth noting that Villanova retires jerseys but not uniform numbers. The only retired number at Villanova is that of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Paul Arizin (No. 11).