Nets’ Mikal Bridges reveals why he prefers ‘free-99’ 2021 NBA finals bag over pockets: “You just can’t go buy it”

Mikal Bridges is as chill as anyone, at least among the professional NBA players. Behind the smiling face of the NBA star there lies an ultra-dedicated basketball player working hard to leave an undying mark on the league. In a recent video of “GQ Sports,” Bridges unveiled the essentials that are crucial to his style quotient.

In the video, Bridges revealed his go-to shoes, his Bose earphones, his POGA travel monitor and his Rolex watch. However, among all one of the highlights was his “Free-99” bag.

Bridges said that he got the “Free-99” bag in the 2021 NBA Finals when the Suns faced the Milwaukee Bucks for the title. Contrary to the belief of many that it was an expensive bag, Bridges said that he got the bag for free from the league.

“I got this bag in the finals when I was with Phoenix years ago. You see the NBA logo. You can't just go buy it, you know. You gotta be in the finals to get this bag.

‘So everybody that sees it is like 'Where'd you get it from?' And everybody make jokes saying, 'Oh you got money, you bought this.' I'm like, 'Oh no, it's free.' 'Free-99.' I always remember that year. It's not every day where you make it to the finals,” Bridges said.

Bridges also spoke about his experience playing in the NBA Finals, saying it was unbelievable.

The bag that he received in the NBA Finals has become his go-to travel bag. He said that he doesn't like to keep things in his pockets and rather uses his bag to store his essentials. Bridges keeps his brush, spare iPhone charger, deodorant, comb, chapstick and everything in his “Free-99” bag.

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Cam Thomas comes in support of Mikal Bridges amidst shooting slump

After being traded from the Phoenix Suns, Mikal Bridges has found himself spearheading the Brooklyn Nets’ offense. He has embraced the new responsibility on the Nets’ roster. However, in his last few games, Bridges has been struggling with his shooting from beyond the arc.

In his last six games, Bridges has been averaging just 16.3 points per game while shooting 31.9% from the field. The bad shooting is very unlike Bridges because he is usually an excellent shooter. However, being an NBA player, a shooting slump is a normal phenomenon.

Bridges’ teammate Cam Thomas, who was also involved in Kevin Durant's trade, came in support of his longtime teammate. He told the media that he wanted Bridges to keep shooting and not listen to the outside noise.

"Keep shooting, and don't listen to other people. That's it. People say all types of stuff, don't listen to them," Johnson responded said on being asked about Bridges' struggles. "Focus on what you do and believe in yourself. At the end of the day, it's gonna come back around."

Despite a recent shooting slump, Bridges is averaging 21.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game for the Brooklyn Nets. Throughout the 27 games so far in the season, he has been shooting 45.7 percent from the field and 37.7 percent from the three-point line.