Who is Mikal Bridges' mother Tyneeah Rivers? All you need to know

On the heels of the Brooklyn Nets’ 121-101 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1 of the NBA playoffs, many are wondering about the personal life of Mikal Bridges. Since the Brooklyn Nets traded for the young star, he has continued to impress, most recently leading the team in scoring with 30 points on Saturday.

One of the questions fans have been asking is, 'Who is Mikal Bridges' mother Tyneeah Rivers?' Mikal Bridges' mom has been seen courtside at several games this season, with the 26-year-old notably giving her his jersey after a career-high 45-point game in February.

As his mom stated in an interview, it's surreal to watch her son compete against the Philadelphia 76ers in the playoffs given that she grew up supporting the team. She was quoted by the NY Post as saying:

“It’s too funny because I grew up in Philly, and I grew up a Sixers fan myself,” Tyneeha Rivers, who raised Bridges as a single mom, told The Post. “But once Mikal was traded to Phoenix, I was a Phoenix Suns fan. Now my son is playing for the Nets, I’m a Brooklyn Nets fan.

“But it’s still surreal to see my son play against the hometown team, the team I grew up watching and cheering for. And how crazy is it, the team that he was originally drafted with, and now is playing against them in the playoffs. It’s crazy coming full circle and seeing all this come to life. It just blows my mind, but yet is so exciting."

Brooklyn Nets v Philadelphia 76ers - Game One

Mikal Bridges' mom Tyneah Rivers getting a front-row seat to her son's NBA career

Of course, this year's playoffs won't be the first time Tyneah Rivers has gotten the chance to see her son shine on the big stage. Several years ago, when the Phoenix Suns were competing in the NBA Finals, she spoke about the feeling of watching her son compete, calling the journey an emotional rollercoaster.

After Mikal Bridges was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers, the team his mom grew up supporting, he was traded shortly after. As she recalled to ABC:

"It was truly an emotional rollercoaster," said Rivers. "At the end of the day, it was for the best, and look where he is at now. He always says, 'Thank you mom, I couldn't be here without you,' and it means a lot to me."

Memphis Grizzlies v Phoenix Suns

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Mikal Bridges didn't just get his work ethic from his mom, he also got his competitive fire from her as well. As Mikal Bridges revealed, during an interview with AZ Central:

"Me and my mom always used to play tennis outside one-on-one in the summer or something, and I was always smaller. She used to always beat me. I used to be upset, not talk to her. I used to be in the car and not say a word to her. I was that competitive.

"She's competitive, too, so she just kept beating me, kept beating me. Then I got older, arms got longer, got taller, and I was beating her every time. ... It was just payback for every time I lost as a kid, so she got me going with that."

Mikal Bridges' mother seems to be his number-one motivator, a main reason the young star has found success on the court.

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