“Any time Josh got his shot blocked and there was a …

Article excerpt

Villanova assistant coach Mike Nardi recalls how Josh Hart's competitive fire shaped teammate Mikal Bridges' development. When Hart's shot got blocked, he would hunt down Bridges on the next possession, whether in transition or the half court, with an intensity that resembled big brother teaching a lesson to little brother. Nardi characterizes this daily competition as "tough love" that proved instrumental in Bridges' evolution into the player he became, though Hart never explicitly stated his mentoring intentions.