Did Miles Bridges call out Imane Khelif? Debunking rumors of Hornets star targeting Algerian boxer
A post on X today by Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges calling out Algerian boxer Imane Khelif drew widespread attention. Bridges' post sparked rumors that he was targeting the Olympic boxer after her controversial win against Italy's Angela Carini.
Carini quit her fight against Khelif after a series of face strikes. According to the Italian boxer, her nose was too damaged to continue. Issues regarding the Algerian boxer's gender are also a talking point. Critics claim the amateur star is a man who is fighting women in the Olympics.
After the stir regarding the boxer's gender, a soundbite from Bridges was posted.
"He should be banned from the Olympics. No dude should hit a female. This man came into the women's league to humiliate and beat up women. It’s unacceptable," the alleged quote from Bridges reads.
Unfortunately, Bridges' quote isn't true, and hasn't called out the boxer after the controversial win. The social media post came from NBA Centel. The page is known to post parodies, satire and comedic quotes on whatever's happening in the NBA.
The page has posted misleading quotes and news stories in the past. One of their most recent "news" posts is about the Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant. According to NBA Centel, Grant reportedly signed with the LA Lakers. However, that isn't true since the two-way forward is still under contract with the Blazers.
Supporters should only depend on reliable sources and use caution when it comes to believing the posts made by NBA Centel.
Also read: Miles Bridges aggressively fires back at Draymond Green for belittling Charlotte Hornets' NBA potential
Miles Bridges is set to have a great year with the Hornets
Two weeks into free agency, the Hornets and Miles Bridges saw eye-to-eye in what they wanted. The organization values the production of the forward and wants to keep their partnership going. They re-signed Bridges to a three-year, $75 million contract.
This came after Bridges' return season with the team. Because of his domestic abuse incident, the Hornets forward was suspended by the team for the whole 2022–2023 season. In his return season, he posted some of the best numbers of his career.
He averaged 21.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists last season, while also knocking down 46.2% of his field goals.
After the signing, a video of him dunking in JaVale McGee's Pro-Am league went viral. This is a sign that the high-flying version of him could make a return.
He's been actively working out in the summer and his bounce is something that fans will expect to see next season.
Also read: Was Miles Bridges convicted of abusing his wife? Examining the background of Hornets forward's response to online accusation