Nets' Mikal Bridges Was 'Pissed Off,' 'So Mad' When 76ers Traded Him on Draft Night
Draft night had all the makings of a feel-good story for Mikal Bridges in 2018.
The Philadelphia 76ers selected him 10th overall, meaning the Villanova product would stay put in the city and play in front of the same fans who cheered for him in college. It was all shaping up to be a memorable career path for the promising prospect.
And then the 76ers traded him to the Phoenix Suns.
"I was pissed off," Bridges said of the trade during an appearance on the Point Forward podcast with Andre Iguodala and Evan Turner.
"My whole life I wanted to get drafted top 10. I wasn't going to say it, but that was like my dream to go top 10. I went top 10 and I was pissed off. I couldn't control my emotions. I was so mad. Even after everybody went out, I'm in my hotel room like 'f--k this.' I was hot. I was sitting there like, 'man, whatever.'"
Things ultimately worked out for Bridges, as he carved out a role as one of the best role players in the league during his time on the Suns that included a run to the 2021 NBA Finals.
Yet the Suns traded him to the Brooklyn Nets this season, and he is now a focal point in the offense and has an opportunity to get some revenge on the 76ers during a first-round playoff series.
If he does, Philadelphia may be regretting the day it traded him.
