Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges expressed his eagerness to return to the NBA after sitting out for 583 days. He compared the feeling to the first day of school and said it has been hard to be away from basketball for so long. Bridges is set to return to the court for the first time since sitting out the entire last season and completing a 10-game suspension this year. He was suspended for his role in a domestic violence case in 2022. There is a pending court date for allegedly violating a protection order related to the incident, which has been rescheduled for Feb. 20, 2024. Bridges declined to comment on the case as it is ongoing. However, the NBA is allowing him to play while the case is in the courts, and the Charlotte Hornets have expressed confidence in his return to play. The 25-year-old is expected to provide a significant boost for Charlotte, after they struggled with a 3-7 record in his absence to start the season. Hornets head coach Steve Clifford is considering starting Bridges in the next game against the Milwaukee Bucks, but emphasized that he will play a significant role regardless. Since last playing for the Hornets in April 2022, Bridges has worked hard to get back into top shape and overcome any rustiness. He admitted to feeling uncertain about the crowd’s reception but believes he deserves another chance to prove himself as a person and a player. Bridges wants to regain the trust of both his team and the fans and is determined to help the team succeed on the court.