Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges is a talented NBA player held back by off-the-court issues. He and LaMelo Ball form one of the better lob duos in the league this season, but the 27-year-old has not played in more than 70 games since the 2021-22 season, including a year-long absence from the Hornets.

After missing the last three games of the regular season, he took to Instagram to express his feelings about his reputation. Two years ago, Bridges faced domestic violence charges from his partner. According to reports, Bridges faced accusations by his then-girlfriend of beating her in front of their two children. After more than four months, his case ended when he pleaded no contest to the charges.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver and the league suspended Bridges for 30 games after the trial concluded. The Hornets forward spent more than a year away from the game, missing out on the entirety of the 2022-2023 season. Before last season tipped off, Bridges received another 10 game suspension after he allegedly violated his protection order.

With all of that behind him, Bridges went to social media on Tuesday to talk about his reputation and what he can do to change it.

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“In y'all eyes I'm always gone be the bad guy,” Bridges said. “But I'm genuinely asking what should I do? I don't wanna be falsely accused of anything again. I just want to be a father to my children and the mother of my kids won't let me.”

Bridges' reputation around the league took a hit as he faced his charges and received his suspension. He is not the first Hornet to take his complaints to social media, either. Former Hornets forward Kai Jones went on Instagram live multiple times to complain about his playing time.

While Jones is no longer on the team, Bridges and Ball make up the core of the team moving forward. The duo, along with Brandon Miller, Tidjane Saluan, and Mark Williams, will try to lead the Hornets out of the hole they find themselves in each year. However, Bridges has a lot to deal with off the court before his sole focus can be on basketball again.