“He has a f*king lot of friends & we all f*k with him” - Mikal Bridges’ NSFW usage could have cost ESPN $419,353
Mikal Bridges may not have intended to, however, his recent comments may have landed ESPN in hot water.
During a segment on Wednesday's NBA Today show with Malika Andrews, Ramona Shelburne, and Marc Spears, a clip was played of Bridges speaking about Ben Simmons' return.
Lately, Simmons has been sidelined and many have written him off for a lack of killer instinct in recent years. Coupled with missing significant time, his mental struggles on the court have left many wondering if he will ever return to his previous All-Star form.
As Mikal Bridges explained on Paul George's 'Podcast P' show, he and the team still believe in Simmons. After the former All-Star underwent back surgery, the future seems bright for the young talent.
While discussing the situation, Bridges dropped several expletives and although that ordinarily wouldn't be a problem with censorship, ESPN's fumble could cost them quite a bit of money.
Mikal Bridges said:
“I’ve got big faith, big confidence in [Simmons] this year. His back was messed up and him actually going through getting x-rays and [doctors] telling him, ‘You need surgery,’ I think it kinda felt good for him. I think people didn’t believe him.
He continued:
"He was kind of the little boy who cried wolf sometimes. I think he’s in a good place, like, we’re close. He’s talking in the chat all the time. I think he just feels that like, he has a f—ing lot of friends and we all f–k with him.”
The FCC prohibits profanity on TV and Radio shows from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and each violation of the rule incurs a $419,353 penalty.
Ben Simmons' surgery and return to the court to play alongside Mikal Bridges
Last season, Mikal Bridges quickly made his presence felt in Brooklyn, earning himself the 'Brooklyn Bridges' nickname. The season saw a major shakeup in the roster thanks to the Kevin Durant trade, which likely contributed to the Nets' first-round playoff exit.
Although the team came up short of a deep playoff run, the return of Ben Simmons seems to have helped spark quite a bit of optimism in Brooklyn. While he played in 42 games during the 2022-23 season and started in 33, a problem with his back spelled the end of his season.
After the announcement at the end of March that Simmons would be out indefinitely with a nerve impingement in his back, many wondered what the future may hold. After the surgery in May, it was determined that Simmons was unlikely to need another surgery.
While he isn't expected to compete for Australia in the FIBA World Cup, it sounds as though the Nets organization is optimistic about this season.
With training camps set to open on October 3rd for teams without overseas games, only time will tell how things play out for Simmons going forward.