Jalen Bridges Explains Why He Left West Virginia

Morgantown, West Virginia – Earlier today, former West Virginia Mountaineers forward Jalen Bridges committed to play for the Baylor Bears.

Following his decision, Bridges sat down with ESPN’s Matt Mosley to discuss why he chose Baylor and he left West Virginia.

“Leaving home was the hardest decision I’ve ever made,” Bridges told Mosley. “Obviously I would have loved to have stayed here (West Virginia). But I made a business decision. I took a chance on myself and we’ll see where it goes from here. It sucks leaving, but I think I made the best decision, honestly.”

Bridges continued: “My main focus is being an NBA player. That’s what I want to do with my life. The skill development there is different. A lot of people go to Baylor not thinking they’re going to get drafted but they get better and end up getting drafted.”

On Bob Huggins, Bridges said the following: “I learned a lot from him. I really learned how to carry myself. I really grew as a man under him and he helped me fill out parts of my game. So I’ll always be thankful for him.”

“When I went to talk to Coach Huggins and inform him of my decision to leave the team, he respected it. We weren’t on bad terms and it was honestly a business decision and he understood that. I invested in myself and I want to play at the highest possible level and taking my abilities to a place like Baylor gives me the best chance to make that happen. The short term goals are winning a national championship. But Huggins is a great dude, he’s honestly one of the best. He shows tough love but it’s always love. He’s the best and I wish him all the best.”

Listen to the full interview below: