Miles Bridges will not have to play basketball in prison after being accused of domestic abuse. This is the life and story of Miles Bridges, an NBA athlete who was about to negotiate a new contract with the Hornets before being arrested by the Los Angeles police for assaulting Mychelle Johnson, his partner. 

Who Is Miles Bridges? What Happened To His Wife? Where Is He Now?

Who is Miles Bridges?

He is a 24-year-old player from Flint, Michigan. After a successful high school career, he was rated a five-star prospect, being recruited by the NCAA Michigan State Spartans.

The former Michigan State player was best known for squatting the top 10 with thunderous dunks, his start with the Hornets reminded us that he had many other qualities. Voted best player of the first week in the East, the Charlotte winger slammed three out of four games at 30 points or more.

After two years as one of the top scorers in the Big Ten, on June 21, 2018, he was chosen in 12th position by the Los Angeles Clippers. And later, Miles was sent to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. On October 25, 2019, the Hornets activated their team option on Bridges’ contract, extending it through the end of the 2020–21 season. 

Miles Bridges’ career statistics (NBA): 

After a year as a rookie in which he barely played 20 minutes per game and managed to average around 7.5 points, he began to play a role as a starting player with the Hornets and demonstrated his great capacity as a defensive player, averaging 12.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. game.

He made a notable leap in quality in his last contract campaign during 2021-22, appearing as one of LaMelo Ball’s top partners in the team’s offense, maintaining a line of 20.2 points and 7 rebounds per game.

He thinks he can beat Michael Jordan 1-on-1:

Even though “MJ” is in his 50s today, there are few players who think or dare to say they would beat him one-on-one today. That’s also why there’s always this mystique around His Airness. When Miles Bridges heard that Jordan had said he could still beat his players in Charlotte in one-one but didn’t want them to lose confidence, he didn’t keep his opinion to himself.

On Twitter, he immediately made it clear that he was ready to take on the challenge without any worries. Logic dictates that the athletic qualities of Miles Bridges and his youth allow him to take over. But his craftiness is not to be underestimated. We will never know anyway, since Michael Jordan will obviously never take the risk of seeing his aura damaged by a stupid challenge. Better to let believe that it is still possible.

MJ is in any case very fond of Miles and designated him as one of the centerpieces of the franchise even before his hype began to rise. He grew up in one of the most violent cities in the country: 

Miles Bridges was born in Flint, Michigan, a city sadly famous for the presence of lead in its running water (a national scandal broke in 2018) and for its still very high ranking in the list of the most dangerous cities in the United States. Relative to its population (81,000), Flint experiences an alarming number of violent crimes and was still in the national top 5 for cities under 100,000 with the highest crime rate.

It is also to escape this violence and these complicated living conditions that Bridges, on the advice of his relatives, left Flint for Virginia, then the university, as soon as he could.

At 14, Miles Bridges played center: 

Miles Bridges wasn’t always that pogo stick capable of playing 3 and 4 positions. When he played high school at Southwestern Academy in his hometown of Flint, Bridges was the team’s starting center, up from his 1.93 m at 14 years old.

If the net does not scare him today in the NBA, even at 1.98 m “only”, it is precisely because he cheerfully frequented it during his adolescence. With Flint, he averaged 10 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks. Something to catch the eye of the famous Huntington Prep School in West Virginia, where he was gradually repositioned, before becoming a Swiss army knife at Michigan State under the orders of Tom Izzo.

His brother-in-law also plays in the NBA: 

A few weeks ago, many wondered if Miles Bridges was an anti-vacciner, when he posted a message of support for Andrew Wiggins, before the latter agreed to take the shot against Covid-19. It is not so. The “We’re with you bro” was just a very literal message of support. Wiggins is indeed in a relationship with a young woman named Mychal Johnson, who is none other than the sister of Michelle Johnson, the wife of Miles Bridges.

Michelle, Miles’ wife, played basketball in high school, at St Joseph Catholic School, then in the NCAA at Middle Tennessee State and Marshall.

In terms of flow, he’s also talented at rap:

Since Damian Lillard broke the rap game among NBA players, few have dared to offer their creations or show their talent. Those who dare have an interest in having the level so as not to pass for painters. Miles Bridges has been rapping since his early years in Michigan and it is clear that he is doing really well. Maybe even better than all his colleagues in the league except Lillard.

His mixtape released at the end of 2020 can be listened to very well and it is already a small feat.

The domestic violence case:

In June 2022, when he must negotiate a new contract with the Hornets, Bridges is arrested by the Los Angeles police for assaulting Mychelle Johnson, his partner. 

At the twilight of a successful season and the dawn of a pivotal Free Agency, Miles Bridges, a twirling Hornets winger, was to hit the jackpot. But that was before the accusations that hang over him. Last year in September 2022, Miles Bridges was coming off his career-best season (by far) having posted 20.2 points, 7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists on average per game over the 2021-22 NBA season. The left-hander even applied for a place in the All-Star Game, without being invited. 

Bridges was highly appreciated by the decision makers of his franchise, and one of the main free agents of this offseason he was extended to Charlotte was then no doubt at the end of his contract. Then on June 29, everything changed. According to TMZ, Miles Bridges is accused by his wife Mychelle Johnson of “domestic violence” and “child abuse”. 

Mychelle Johnson, in an Instagram post since deleted by the 24-year-old, disclosed her multiple injuries, a medical report documenting those injuries suffered, as well as a video of one of their children claiming “dad strangled mom.” The NBA player’s companion even goes much further in her assertions.

“I hate that it’s come to this, but I can’t keep quiet anymore. I let someone destroy my home, abuse me in every way possible, and traumatize my children for life. (…) I will not allow those around him to continue to silence me and lie to protect him.” – Mychelle Johnson, partner of Miles Bridges.

The court of law, not that of basketball: 

Miles Bridges is now facing three counts, one for raising his hand on his partner and mother of his two children, and two others for acts of child abuse, likely to lead to serious bodily harm or even death.

These incidents unfortunately seem to indicate that these actions dating from June 27 and 28 are far from being an isolated case. Faced with the accusations of the mother of his children, and despite the police reports and evidence could not be more explicit, Miles Bridges still pleaded not guilty on July 20, the hearing was scheduled for August 19 but was repeatedly postponed. A first time on September 7 and a second time on September 19th. 

On his own accord, Bridges will go to the Los Angeles police station to admit the facts, and the NBA player was released by the LAPD after having paid his release bond of 130,000 dollars. Meanwhile, the Hornets, who were hesitant to send the max for their player, said they were aware of the situation in a July 19 statement, without commenting further.

Finally, he pleaded not guilty and reached an economic agreement with his wife’s defense to end this legal process. On November 3, he was sentenced to three years probation, thus avoiding jail time. His negotiation helps the player avoid the prison box. 

Most interestingly, Bridges wanted to plead not guilty:

The player, sued by his ex-girlfriend for domestic violence, had initially decided to plead not guilty in July. Finally, after the trial was postponed several times, the player agreed with the American justice around a “plea of ​​no contest” reports Baxter Holmes of ESPN. 

But what exactly is a plea of ​​no contest? Clearly, Bridges does not plead guilty but he accepts the conviction and the sentence that goes with it without formally confessing his guilt. It’s a bit technical as a differentiation, but above all it allows the accused to negotiate his sentence and Miles obtained the withdrawal of two charges (out of the three held against him) and a sentence of 3 years of probation, which means that he will therefore avoid the prison square .

Instead of going to jail, Miles Bridges must do the following: 

During his period of probation, Bridges was to produce several obligations under pain of prison namely: 

• 52 weeks of advice on domestic violence, 
• 52 weeks of parenting courses, 
• perform 100 hours of community service,
• and submit to weekly narcotics tests. 
• Moreover, he is not allowed to own a firearm or ammunition. 
• He must also pay a repair fine of 300 dollars and another of 500 dollars for domestic violence. He will also have to respect an injunction prohibiting him from approaching within 100 meters of his ex-companion, for 10 years. 
• The custody of their children remains shared but the passage of the latter between the two ex-spouses must be done through a neutral third party.

Other scandals:

The evidence against Bridges remains overwhelming, however, his domestic violence case is not the only show of aggression! On April 13, 2022, following his exclusion in a game against the Atlanta Hawks, Miles Bridges threw his gum shield at a female spectator. The next day, the player was sentenced by the NBA to a fine of 50,000 dollars for his gesture. 

Where is Miles Bridges now?

On June 29 of this year, he was arrested in Los Angeles after his wife Mychelle Johnson accused him of domestic violence, in an incident that happened in front of their two children. Johnson’s medical record included strangulation, concussion and multiple facial fractures, all of which were factored into the county’s early trial.

Just before the start of the 2022-23 NBA season, NBA player Miles Bridges was charged with domestic violence in a Los Angeles court and has stayed away from the courts ever since. A verdict was given about his case and he will not have to pay jail time, which is why the Los Angeles Lakers and several organizations are considering signing him. As of his career today,  the Hornets extended him a qualifying offer in the 2022–23 offseason.

Having escaped bars and the orange uniform, the winger could be tempted to resume his NBA career. In view of the events, no franchise wished to make him offers during the off-season and it is not said that any of them will wish to position themselves, especially given the media aspect which will accompany a potential arrival. ESPN further recalls that the NBA can also take the lead and suspend or even ban Bridges under the collective agreement.

Miles Bridges will not ultimately go to prison but it is not said that he can resume his NBA career so far. Before the incident, the Hornets had extended a qualifying contract order for Bridges and he is currently experiencing the extended qualifying offer in the 2022–23 offseason.