Miles Bridges Biography: The Incredible Journey From Dreams to NBA Stardom (June 28,2026)

Miles Bridges Sr., born on March 21, 1998, is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Bridges began his basketball career at Flint Southwestern Academy during his freshman year of high school before transferring to Huntington Prep School, where he played for his sophomore, junior, and senior years. He went on to play college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans. In the 2018 NBA draft, Bridges was selected 12th overall by the Los Angeles Clippers. However, he was traded to the Charlotte Hornets on the same night, marking the beginning of his professional career in the league.

Early life of miles Bridges

Miles Bridges was born on March 21, 1998, in Flint, Michigan, to parents Cynthia and Raymond Bridges. His father, Raymond, who achieved notable success as a two-time basketball state champion at Flint Northern High School, began teaching Miles the fundamentals of basketball when he was just two years old.

Alongside his father’s influence, Miles cited his sister, Tara Rushing, as a significant figure during his upbringing. He pursued his education in middle school at Woodland Park Academy in Grand Blanc, Michigan. At the age of 12, Miles engaged in practice sessions at a local YMCA, where he participated with future high school teammates and was under the guidance of coach Keith Gray.

Life in High School

As a freshman, Miles Bridges participated in varsity basketball at Flint Southwestern Academy in Flint, Michigan, where he played alongside notable teammates including future George Mason signee Jaire Grayer and future Mississippi Valley commit Jovan Embry. Standing at 6 feet 4 inches at the age of 14, he occupied the center position. During his freshman year, he posted impressive statistics, averaging 10 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks per game.

His performance contributed significantly to his team’s successful campaign, culminating in a 17–6 record and a spot in the regional semifinals. Recognizing his talent, Oakland University extended an athletic scholarship offer to Bridges shortly thereafter. In July 2013, Bridges made a pivotal decision to transfer to Huntington Prep School in Huntington, West Virginia.

This transition was influenced by former Flint Powers Catholic all-state guard Javontae Hawkins, who advised that distancing himself from the violence and distractions of Flint would be beneficial for his growth and maturity. In his sophomore year at Huntington Prep, Bridges’ performance remained strong, with averages of 9.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.7 steals, and 3.3 assists per game, leading his team to a remarkable 29–5 overall record.

In his junior year, Bridges showcased his talent at the 2015 Dick’s Sporting Goods High School Nationals Tournament, held at Christ the King Regional High School in Middle Village, Queens, New York. On April 2, 2015, he helped Huntington Prep secure a narrow victory over Jaylen Brown and the highly ranked Wheeler team, with a score of 73–70 in the quarterfinals.

However, on April 3, Bridges had a notable performance despite a loss in the semifinals against the top-ranked Oak Hill Academy, where he recorded 21 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. During that season, he achieved impressive averages of 15.7 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.8 blocks, and 2.3 steals per game, contributing to Huntington Prep’s remarkable 31–3 record, the best in the school’s history. He played alongside Thomas Bryant, a future NBA player.

In the summer of 2015, Bridges participated in the esteemed NBPA Top 100 Camp at the John Paul Jones Arena in Virginia. As a senior, he elevated his game further, averaging 25 points, 10 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 2.0 steals per game, leading his team to a 25–11 record. His standout performance and achievements culminated in earning a spot as a McDonald’s All-American in January 2016.

He played in the 2016 McDonald’s All-American Game on March 30, 2016, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, scoring eight points, grabbing three rebounds, and making two steals in a competitive match that ended in a 114–107 loss to the West team. Additionally, he competed in the prestigious Jordan Brand Classic All-Star game.

Miles Bridges College Life

Miles Bridges was a highly-rated basketball recruit, notably ranked as the 10th-best player by Rivals.com and 8th overall by ESPN in the 2016 high school class. He turned down offers from prestigious schools such as Kentucky, Kansas, and Oregon to play for Michigan State, as announced on October 3, 2015. Head coach Tom Izzo praised him as a “blue-collar superstar,” anticipating his seamless integration into the team.

In his college debut against Arizona on November 12, 2016, Miles Bridges made an impressive start by scoring 21 points and securing seven rebounds. He continued to showcase his skills with a standout performance on November 24, scoring 22 points and grabbing 15 rebounds against St. John’s. However, on December 1, he sustained an ankle injury, which sidelined him for at least two weeks. After a seven-game absence, he returned to action on January 4, 2017, and displayed glaring potential by scoring a career-high 33 points in a loss to Purdue on January 24.

Throughout the season, Bridges garnered recognition for his performance, being named Big Ten Freshman of the Week five times. On February 2, 2017, he was included as one of the ten finalists for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year award. For the season, he earned numerous accolades, including Big Ten Freshman of the Year, second team All-Big Ten honors, and was selected for both the Sporting News Freshmen All-American Team and the USBWA All-District V Team.

He was also recognized as the unanimous AP Big Ten Newcomer of the Year and made the AP All-Big Ten Second Team. Bridges concluded the season with impressive averages of 16.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game over approximately 32 minutes per game.

On April 13, 2017, he announced his decision to return for his sophomore season at Michigan State, a choice that led many experts to view the Spartans as potential 2018 National Championship favorites, especially with the addition of freshman Jaren Jackson Jr. There were also expectations that Bridges would contend for National Player of the Year accolades and potentially be a top 5 pick in the 2018 NBA draft. However, after Michigan State’s unexpected second-round exit from the 2018 NCAA men’s basketball tournament, Bridges opted to forgo his final two years of eligibility and declared for the 2018 NBA draft.

Professional career of Miles Bridges

Charlotte Hornets (2018–2026)

On June 21, 2018, Miles Bridges was selected as the twelfth overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA draft, but he was quickly traded to the Charlotte Hornets for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He signed a four-year, $16.3 million contract with the Hornets on July 2, 2018. Miles Bridges showcased his athleticism by participating in the 2019 Slam Dunk Contest.

His performance elevated when he won the Rising Stars Challenge MVP award for Team USA on February 14, 2020, in Chicago, contributing to a victory over Team World with a final score of 151–131. On November 20, 2021, Bridges reached a career milestone by scoring 35 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in a game against the Atlanta Hawks, despite the Hornets losing 115–105.

Controversy arose on April 13, 2022, during a play-in tournament against the Hawks, where Bridges was ejected for throwing his mouthpiece at a fan, resulting in a $50,000 fine from the NBA. The following offseason, the Hornets extended him a qualifying offer.

On April 14, 2023, he faced suspension for 30 games without pay due to a domestic violence incident involving his then-girlfriend Mychelle Johnson and their two children. The NBA launched its own investigation into the matter. However, Bridges signed a qualifying offer on July 7, 2023, signaling his continued association with the Hornets.

Miles Bridges returned from suspension on November 17, 2023, scoring 17 points in a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Just days later, on November 20, he contributed significantly to a 121–118 overtime victory against the Boston Celtics with a line of 14 points, 15 rebounds, and the game-winning three-pointer. He continued to impress, scoring a career-high 41 points in a 124–118 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on February 5, 2024, and then surpassing that with 45 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists in a 123–117 loss to the Toronto Raptors just two days later.

Further enhancing his commitment to the Hornets, Bridges signed a three-year, $75 million contract on July 14, 2024. His scoring continued to shine as he reached another career high of 46 points in a narrow 118–117 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 7, 2025.

Personal life of Miles Bridges

Miles Bridges has four children with his ex-wife Mychelle Johnson. In addition to his basketball career, Bridges pursues a music career, releasing rap music under the stage name RTB MB. Although he is naturally right-handed, he plays basketball left-handed, a result of breaking his right arm at the age of six, which led to him using his left hand for shooting.

Legal Issues and Domestic Violence Case

On June 29, 2022,Miles Bridges was arrested in Los Angeles for felony domestic violence and subsequently released on a $130,000 bond. The arrest was linked to an alleged assault on Mychelle Johnson, which reportedly occurred in front of their two children. Johnson later shared details of her injuries via an Instagram post, describing herself as an “adult victim of abuse by male partner.” Her hospital report indicated severe injuries, including strangulation, a brain concussion, a closed nasal bone fracture, rib contusions, multiple bruises, and a neck muscle strain.

On July 19, Bridges faced legal repercussions when he was charged with one felony count of injuring a child’s parent and two felony counts of child abuse. He pleaded not guilty to all charges during his arraignment the following day. However, on November 3, Bridges changed his plea to no contest regarding the felony domestic violence charge, leading to a sentence of three years of probation, while the other two child abuse charges were dismissed.

In a subsequent incident in October 2023, Bridges was again charged with violating his probation and a protection order. This was due to an event on October 6, where he allegedly threw billiard balls at Johnson’s car, damaging her windshield while their children were present in the vehicle. During this altercation, Bridges’ current girlfriend was also reported to have damaged the car while yelling at Johnson. Bridges surrendered to authorities on October 13 and was released after posting a $1,000 bond. At this point, he also had an outstanding warrant from January 2023 that had yet to be addressed.