Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges was denied entry into Canada ahead of Monday’s game against the Toronto Raptors due to his legal troubles, sources told ESPN.
This resulted in Bridges being ruled out of the 114-99 loss.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Bridges “was denied access to the country Sunday” because of his recent felony conviction. The Hornets announced Bridges’ absence around an hour before tip-off, simply stating he “was not with the team.”
When asked about the situation pregame, Hornets coach Steve Clifford declined to provide specifics.
“The only thing I’m going to say is neither Miles nor (rookie center Nathan Mensah from Ghana) will be here with us tonight,” Clifford told reporters.
ESPN Sources: Canada’s decision to deny Hornets F Miles Bridges entry into country is unlikely to be reversed in time for him to arrive for tonight’s game vs. Raptors. Bridges – who plead no contest to felony charge of injuring a child’s parent – was denied border access Sunday. pic.twitter.com/Z4Ajw0FHhJ
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 18, 2023
Bridges pleaded no contest earlier this year to a charge of injuring a child’s parent, stemming from a 2022 domestic violence incident involving the mother of his two children.
As part of his probation, Bridges must adhere to a 10-year criminal protection order for the woman.
Since returning from a 10-game suspension to start the season, Bridges had been averaging 19.6 points and 7.2 rebounds over 12 starts.
But he once again found himself in legal trouble in October when an arrest warrant was issued for an alleged protection order violation. Per court documents, Bridges “continually contacted the victim” despite the order.
That case is still making its way through the courts. Regardless, the conviction and ongoing legal situation were enough for Canadian authorities to bar Bridges from entering the country with his team.
The Hornets have yet to provide further details on a potential timeline for Bridges’ return as the situation unfolds. For now, they will press on without their leading scorer as they continue a road trip north of the border against Toronto.
