Miles Bridges was denied entry into Canada this week due to his existing legal issues, as confirmed by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
This resulted in his absence during the Charlotte Hornets’ game against the Toronto Raptors on Monday night.
Bridges, who previously entered a no-contest plea to a felony charge connected to harming a child’s parent, encountered the denial on Sunday, preventing his participation in the game against the Raptors.
The Hornets announced his absence just an hour prior to tipoff, citing that he was “not with the team.”
Coach Steve Clifford, when queried about Bridges’ conspicuous absence, chose to withhold detailed comments, simply stating that neither Bridges nor rookie center Nathan Mensah would be in attendance for the game.
The NBA player is presently under a three-year probationary period subsequent to his no-contest plea stemming from a June 2022 domestic violence case involving the mother of his two children.
This arrangement allowed Bridges to evade incarceration but requires compliance with a 10-year criminal protection order, weekly narcotics and marijuana testing, and the fulfillment of restitution, as outlined by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.
In a subsequent legal development, Bridges surrendered himself in October following an arrest warrant issued for an alleged violation of the protection order.
Although initially released on January 2, the warrant was executed shortly before the commencement of the NBA season. Court documents specify that Bridges knowingly breached the protection order by maintaining contact with the victim, constituting an unresolved case.
This incident adds to the challenges Bridges has encountered in the league. His previous suspension for the initial 10 games of this season stemmed from his absence throughout the previous season.
READ MORE: Miles Bridges Addresses NBA Return Following Suspension
