Kevin Ollie on why he trusts Mikal Bridges even amidst his slump

Mikal’s struggles continue, but coach Ollie is supportive.

© Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

After losing to the Indiana Pacers on Saturday, Nets Coach Kevin Ollie voiced his support for Mikal Bridges, who only scored seven points in that game. It has been an extended struggle because, over the past month, he is only scoring 17.6 points per game on 38.1% shooting from the field.

As the franchise cornerstone, it’s natural to feel disappointed in Mikal, but Coach Ollie knows the former Vilanova Wildcat is a star. KO believes in Mikal’s ability to bounce back, even if he’s in one of the roughest patches of his career.

“I gotta do a better job, the team’s gotta do a better job, and he’s gotta do a better job. He can’t hang his head, either. I’m not kicking him out if he makes a mistake. He’s able to play through his mistakes, and he’s gotta understand that this is a good test for him,” Coach Ollie said after the loss to Indiana. 

“This is an opportunity for him to grow in the midst of what looks like a dark time, but there’s actually light at the end of the tunnel because he’s able to play through mistakes and able to learn.”

Mikal deserves support

After getting traded to the Nets in February 2023, Mikal was given the keys to the organization. He became the first option, a far cry from his fourth option days in Phoenix. He thrived as a scorer, getting newfound confidence in isolation plays and still defending well.

For the 2023/24 season, teams focused on defending Mikal, becoming a respected offensive player. However, teams began to adapt to his play style, and he struggled when his confidence dipped over the past month.

Thankfully, all of his teammates and coaches believe in him. It’s about time he would bounce back, but it was not to be in the game against San Antonio. He only scored 14 points, but there are signs of improvement with his off-ball movement and willingness to take tough shots.

On Mikal Bridges, Ollie said, "When you forget about yourself, you find yourself. That's what I tell him." https://t.co/sgijQRaI7W

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) March 3, 2024

Mikal will return to his usual form

Nets and Suns fans already know that Mikal is one of the hardest workers on any team. He would keep shooting to break out of this extended slump, but he also deserves some patience.

Many believe he’s been miscast as a number-one guy, but Cameron Thomas is starting to elevate into stardom and help Bridges become more comfortable in a secondary role. However, that should take some time, and everyone within the Nets fan base should wait for him to succeed.

Brooklyn loses in an overtime heartbreaker to the San Antonio Spurs