Now that Mikal Bridges has put the FIBA World Cup in the rear view mirror, the NBA season is around the corner. And the Nets’ rising star will look to carry his red-hot form from the former right into the latter.

Despite Team USA’s disappointing finish in Manila — Bridges and fellow Nets teammate Cam Johnson coming back stateside without a medal of any color – the 27-year-old hardly returned empty-handed.

Everyone from Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn to general manager Sean Marks to the players themselves expressed confidence beforehand that the World Cup experience would make both Bridges and Johnson better players.

Now Bridges is expected to take yet another quantum leap forward, and is the overwhelming betting favorite to win the Most Improved Player Award this upcoming season.