In Miles Bridges’s first public comments since signing a one-year deal to return to the Hornets, the NBA veteran apologized to fans and teammates for the “pain” and “embarrassment” he caused due to an domestic violence incident.
Bridges, who was selected in the first round of the 2018 NBA draft, thanked the Hornets for giving him a “second chance,” and said he plans to be someone that his “family and everyone can be proud of” going forward.
“I want to apologize to everybody for the pain and embarrassment that I have caused everyone, especially my family,” Bridges said in a news conference Tuesday. “This year away I’ve used to prioritize going to therapy and becoming the best person I can be.
“… A lot of people don’t get a second chance, and I want to use this second chance to prove to everyone that I’m the same kid you drafted five years ago.”
In November, Bridges was sentenced to three years of probation after entering a no-contest plea to a felony domestic violence charge. After an extensive investigation, the NBA suspended the 25-year-old for 30 games in April.
However, Bridges will only miss 10 games at the start of the 2023-24 season as the league granted him credit for serving 20 games after sitting out the entirety of the 2022-23 season.
Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak said outgoing majority owner Michael Jordan and incoming owners Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall approved of the team re-signing Bridges, according to the Associated Press.
However, Kupchak is aware that some in the Charlotte community will not like ownership’s decision on the matter.
“You have to make a judgment, right?” Kupchak said. “Is this sincere remorse? Is this sincere accountability? It is not something that is easy to judge. … Everybody may not agree. It’s a tough situation to be in.”
Prior to sitting out last season without a contract amid the investigation, Bridges led Charlotte in scoring in the 2021-22 campaign, averaging 20.2 points and seven rebounds per game. After signing his qualifying offer on July 2, Bridges will be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
