To get the sophomore to practice the way he played in games, Villanova and former Knicks teammate Ryan Arcidiacono told The Athletic that coaches would have to intentionally push Hart’s buttons. Wildcats assistant coach Ashley Howard said the staff “would have to talk trash” to Hart in order to get him engaged. Former Villanova head coach Jay Wright would challenge him separately in ways that “you can’t say in an interview.” Bridges started his college career on the scout team and would be matched up against Hart. He ended up being the target of Hart’s aggressive energy directed toward the coaches. “Josh use to terrorize Mikal early on,” Howard told The Athletic. “Mikal wasn’t physically where he eventually got, and Josh is Josh.” -via New York Times / January 1, 2025
Mikal Bridges on Knicks defense vs. Thunder: ‘Very boo-worthy’
