Miles Bridges of Michigan State named to Julius Erving Award watch list

I have a very important announcement to make - it's watch list season!

The Julius Erving Award, which goes to the nation's best small forward, released its watch list Wednesday. And Michigan State sophomore Miles Bridges, despite playing power forward most of last season, was named to the 21-person watch list.

Bridges will almost assuredly play small forward this season, with Nick Ward at center and incoming freshman Jaren Jackson Jr. at power forward.

In the three years the award has existed, another Spartan won the honor previously — Denzel Valentine in the 2015-16 season.

In the spring, Bridges surprised some by returning to East Lansing for his sophomore season. His decision to come back has the Spartans on the short list to win the national title this year, and on some Las Vegas sportsbooks, the favorite.

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Last year, Bridges averaged 16.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game to become the first freshman to lead MSU in scoring since Shawn Respert in 1991-92, while his scoring average was second-best all-time among Spartan freshmen, trailing only Magic Johnson (17.0 ppg).

Bridges was named the 2017 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and was a second team All-Big Ten selection, along with earning Sporting News Freshman All-American honors.

Earlier this year, he was picked as the NBC Sports Preseason Player of the Year and Sports Illustrated lists him as the favorite for National Player of the Year.

Purdue's Vincent Edwards is the only other Big Ten player on the list.

This will certainly not be the last time Bridges or one of his teammates makes a watch list. And we shall write about them all.

Follow digital sports producer Phil Friend on Twitter @Phil_Friend.

2018 Julius Erving Award Watch List

Rawle Atkins, Arizona

Kelan Martin, Butler

Jacob Evans, Cincinnati

Gary Trent Jr., Duke

Zach Norvell Jr., Gonzaga

Kevin Knox, Kentucky

Deng Adel, Lousiville

Justin Jackson, Maryland

Bruce Brown Jr., Miami

Miles Bridges, Michigan St.

Michael Porter Jr., Missouri

Tyler Hall, Montana St.

Jeffrey Carroll, Oklahoma St.

Troy Brown Jr., Oregon

Vincent Edwards, Purdue

De'Monte Buckingham, Richmond

DJ Hogg, Texas A&M

Kris Wilkes, UCLA

Mikal Bridges, Villanova

Markis McDuffie, Wichita St.

Trevon Bluiett, Xavier