“My Favorite Player As A Kid Was Kevin Durant”: Mikal Bridges’ Ironic Admission On How He Looked Up To

Kevin Durant and Mikal Bridges are forever due to them being involved in perhaps the most magnanimous trade in the history of the trade deadline. With the Brooklyn Nets crumbling due to Kyrie Irving leaving for the Dallas Mavericks, KD silently requested a trade away from the Nets as well and had only one team in mind. 

The Nets were in sole contact with the Phoenix Suns and no other team as KD wanted to go there and nowhere else. In the process, the man that the trade package was centered around was none other than perhaps the most beloved player on the Suns; Mikal Bridges. 

Bridges and Cam Johnson, often referred to as the ‘Twin Towers’ (for their obvious similarities in their playstyles and perhaps because of their affinity for juggling) were both ‘victims’ of this trade along with a litany of picks that went the Nets’ way.

Also read: “That 2003 Class inspired me”: Kevin Durant Chooses LeBron James and Dwyane Wade as his Pillars of Inspiration

Mikal Bridges on Kevin Durant being his favorite player 

After the trade, Bridges admittedly during a press conference that he wasn’t mad at getting traded for Kevin Durant because of who Durant is as a player. He said if he was in the position to acquire KD, he’d consider trading himself as well. 

Looks like the admiration for the ‘Slim Reaper’ doesn’t just end there as he was recently asked about who his favorite player was growing up. Without skipping a beat, Bridges revealed that it was none other than Kevin Durant, which is quite the ironic answer.

Mikal Bridges favorite athlete growing up was Kevin Durant.

(via @BrooklynNets, h/t @notorioustei)

pic.twitter.com/oPtGcInqUU

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 24, 2023

This does make a bit of sense given that Bridges has both KD’s frame and his style of play. Mikal is exceptional in the mid-range, especially with his stop-and-pop at the elbows. And as we all know, KD is perhaps the greatest mid-range shooter in the history of the game. 

KD in his defensive prime was one of the most elite 3&D wings the league had ever seen in its 75 years of existences and currently, the best 3&D wing in the NBA is Mikal Bridges. 

Mikal Bridges had another player he looked up to 

Mikal Bridges once admitted that Rajon Rondo was one of the top 5 players he looked up to while growing, claiming he’d go as far as naming his NBA 2K MyPlayer ‘Rajon Rondo’.

Top 5 fav players growing up … i used to name my myplayer Mikal Rondo😂😂😂 https://t.co/keiTcNFkph

— Mikal Bridges (@mikal_bridges) May 5, 2020

With Mikal’s ability to be someone who can orchestrate an offense to a fair extent in the half-court, it’s understandable as to why Rondo makes his list.

Also read: “Kevin Durant Must Stop Joining Contenders!”: Charles Barkley Makes Hypocritical Statement About Slim Reaper After Trade to Suns