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Junior Bridgeman, a former NBA player instrumental to the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers from 1975 to 1987, has died. According to The Associated Press, Bridgeman — who built a billion-dollar empire after leaving the league — was 71.

Several outlets reported that Bridgeman suffered a medical emergency at a hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, while attending a fundraising event on Tuesday. Local television stations stated that Bridgeman grabbed his chest and said he believed he was having a heart attack. Medical personnel were called to the scene, and Bridgeman was rushed to the hospital, WLKY reported.

Many from the business and professional basketball worlds have shared their tributes to Bridgeman and condolences to his family, including NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

“I am devastated to learn of the sudden passing of Junior Bridgeman,” Silver said in a statement. “Junior was the ultimate entrepreneur who built on his impactful 12-year NBA playing career by becoming a highly respected and successful business leader. He served as a mentor to generations of NBA players and athletes across sports who were eager to learn from him about what it takes to thrive in the business world. Junior was a dedicated member of the NBA family for 50 years—most recently as a minority owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, an investor in NBA Africa and as a player who set the standard for representing the league and our game with class and dignity.”

He continued, “We express our heartfelt condolences to Junior’s wife, Doris, their children, Eden, Justin and Ryan, the Bucks organization, and his many friends and admirers in the basketball community.”

Bridgeman’s basketball career began in the early 1970s when he led his high school team, the Washington High School Senators, in East Chicago, Indiana, to a state championship victory in 1971, ESPN reported. He was drafted by the University of Louisville, where he played for Hall of Fame coach Denny Crum. Throughout three seasons, Bridgeman scored 1,348 points and grabbed 657 rebounds. In his senior year, he helped lead the Cardinals to the 1975 Final Four, where they lost in a 75-74 nail-biter to the University of California, Los Angeles.

Bridgeman went pro in 1975 as part of one of the biggest trades in NBA history. The Los Angeles Lakers selected him as the eighth overall pick before being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in the deal that sent Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the Lakers.

According to ESPN, the 71-year-old played in the NBA for 12 seasons — 10 with the Bucks and two with the Clippers. Over his career, Bridgeman averaged 13.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 25 minutes per game. From 1985 to 1988, he also served as the National Basketball Players Association president.

Bridgeman is remembered for many things, including being among the lowest-paid legendary players in the history of the NBA. He earned approximately $2.95 million throughout his career, never making more than $350,000 per season.

After retiring in 1987, Bridgeman transitioned into the fast-food industry, building an empire that, at one point, included 450 restaurants across the country. He later became a Coca-Cola bottling distributor, overseeing operations in three states and Canada. Additionally, he owned both Ebony and Jet magazines and invested in NBA Africa. In September, Bridgeman acquired a 10% stake in the Bucks.

In February, Forbes determined that Bridgeman’s net worth had surpassed $1.4 billion.

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. members Caleb McCray, Isaiah Smith and Kyle Thurman have been arrested in the investigation regarding the death of Southern University and A&M College student Caleb Wilson.

McCray, 23, who was arrested near the end of last week faces the most serious charges: both criminal hazing and manslaughter charges. As The Associated Press reported, McCray “allegedly punched Wilson four times before the pledge collapsed unresponsive and appeared to suffer a seizure, police say.”

Thurman, 25, and Smith, 28, face charges of felony criminal hazing. Per a police arrest warrant affidavit review by The Associated Press, they reported that “Smith was seen on surveillance video removing Wilson from his vehicle and bringing him to a hospital.” According to the affidavits, Smith was also the “Dean of Pledges” and was in charge of the ritual that was happening.

Smith’s lawyer, Franz Borghardt, said, “This was a freak accident; we’re not talking about force-feeding alcohol,” he told The Associated Press. “To be sure, everyone in that fraternity cares about Caleb. Our hearts go out to the Wilson family.” Borghardt also confirmed to the AP that Smith’s father, Todd, runs a flooring company out of where the alleged hazing incident occurred. WAFB said that he was “leasing the warehouse.”

The affidavits state that “both Smith and Thurman participated in punching some of the nine pledges, but they are not described as hitting Wilson,” per The Associated Press.

Baton Rouge Police Chief Thomas Morse Jr. previously told reporters, “Caleb Wilson died as a direct result of a hazing incident where he was punched in the chest multiple times while pledging to Omega Psi Phi fraternity,” CNN reported.

McCray’s attorney, Phillip Robinson, told CNN, “I maintain my client’s innocence and urge the public to withhold rushing to judgment until all the evidence is heard.”

As part of the Max Gruver Act passed in 2018, hazing can be classified as a felony in Louisiana. If hazing results in death or serious injury, violators of the act, including organizational leaders, face a penalty of up to $10,000 in fines and five years in prison.

The fraternity’s campus chapter has been ordered to “cease all activities,” and students involved in Wilson’s death could face expulsion, Southern University President Dennis Shields said.

All campus Greek life organizations are on lockdown with instructions not to add new members during the remainder of the school year.

The tragic incident has caused grief among friends and family on Southern’s campus and beyond. An on-campus vigil was held in Wilson’s honor on Wednesday.

In tribute to Wilson, a member of his college band, The Human Jukebox, a traditional second line filled New Orleans, Louisiana’s Treme neighborhood on Thursday, The Advocate reported, with hundreds of people participating in the procession.

In a news release, the School Nutrition Association confirmed that the USDA has cut an estimated $660 million in funding to purchase healthy, locally sourced food for school meals. Schools nationwide will not receive federal funding for healthy food The […]

Social media star Alysha Burney, who amassed more than 5 million followers on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, died while vacationing in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, with her family. She was 24.

As sweeping changes unfold across the country, local community activists and organizers remain vital. In Milwaukee, philanthropist and entrepreneur Eric “Shake” James continues his work while expanding his partnership with Adidas through his latest drop—the limited-edition “Twilight” collection.

On March 1, Shake and Adidas’ Cornerstone Community hosted a warm-up launch party at his sneaker boutique, Clicks. Following the celebration, the duo held an open-to-the-public “Friends & Family” basketball game featuring Brooklyn Queen and Bizness Boi. The event also included a special halftime performance by That Girl Lay Lay.

During the launch party, Blavity spoke with Shake about his Adidas collaboration, community efforts, and plans for expansion. With nearly 20 years of nonprofit work under his belt, he says his activism was sparked by recognizing a disconnect between what the community offered and what young people truly needed to succeed.

“I was totally disconnected from how bad it is,” Shake said. “When I started my nonprofit journey in 2008, I was just doing small things—shoe drives, turkeys, and stuff like that. But when George Floyd was killed in 2020, I saw all these companies pledging money. They said, ‘We’re going to do this, and we’ll help that.’ Now, it’s 2025, and all that little change is gone. We took one step forward and 12 steps back.”

As a property owner, Shake began seeking ways to create an immediate impact. “I have a building with a small side and a bigger one. I turned the bigger side into a store,” he said. “The small side became a space called Study Hall. During the pandemic, we offered free tutoring, SAT prep, Wi-Fi, food, drinks—whatever you needed. We did job training and other things. I wanted to be an asset to the youth. Now, as I speak to kids, they just want to know how to do it.”

Bridging the Gap for Milwaukee’s Youth

Shake sees firsthand how much kids in Milwaukee’s inner city want to succeed but lack a clear path forward.

“They don’t believe that if they go to school for four years and then college, they can have an ‘X’ career,” he said. “But when they see me and realize I walked these same streets, it validates that it can be done.”

As a lifelong sneakerhead, Shake acknowledges Black culture’s massive influence on fashion while highlighting the lack of ownership.

“We, as Black people, are the number one consumer in fashion, but we don’t own any of it,” he said. “They need to know that. There’s a pathway in footwear, apparel, and all that. That’s what I try to teach them. Every time I have a drop, I want to reinforce that message.”

A Longstanding Partnership With Adidas

Shake’s partnership with Adidas has been years in the making. “It’s been a great partnership,” he said. “When your vision aligns with the people you work with, it’s easy. We’re both trying to win in communities and make a change.”

He appreciates that Adidas consistently supports his efforts. “I’m always doing things for others. I don’t do things expecting anything in return,” he said. “But when people fly in, check on me, and make sure things are right for me—that’s special. I couldn’t ask for more.”

The ‘Twilight’ Collection

This latest drop features two sneakers:

Crazy IIInfinity (red and black) – Designed for on-court performance.

Mad IIInfinity Mule – A futuristic slip-on built for casual wear and off-court comfort.

Photo: Adidas

“I dropped my first shoe in 2023, called Day One,” Shake said. “It was about making sure kids understand that when you choose your ‘day one,’ you choose wisely. That person keeps you on the right path. This is a continuation of that. My ‘Day One’ and I bonded over basketball, so I wanted to create a basketball sneaker. Nowadays, kids wear a mule to the court, then change to play.”

Giving Back Through Basketball

Shake’s love for basketball extends to mentoring young athletes.

“I have the Jay Academy AAU basketball team,” he said. “For me, it’s not about making it to the NBA—there are only 455 players, so the odds are slim. It’s more about getting them to college. You can love the game without playing in it. You could be a manager, an equipment guy, an agent, or work in the front office. There are so many different paths.”

His nonprofit, Jay Academy, helps bridge the gap. “I’ve been doing nonprofit work since 2008, but I was doing it wrong at first,” he admitted. “I didn’t know anything about nonprofits. One day, I called Adidas and said, ‘Hey, I want to do a back-to-school thing.’ They said, ‘Sure, Shake. What do you need?’ I asked for 50 pairs of shoes, and they were like, ‘Sure, anything else?’”

Jay Academy remains his passion. “By June, the brick-and-mortar should be open,” he said. “It’ll be a neighborhood resource center. It’s in a rough neighborhood, but that’s where I want to be. I always want to be where the need is greatest.”

Staying the Course

With so much happening on a federal level, Shake remains focused on what he can control—his community.

“I think we all need to stay the course,” he said. “The number one thing is to fight for your ideas. If we want to win together, we have to learn how to work together. I’m not really into politics like that, but I know it’s a long grind. We just have to keep our heads down and keep working.”

On Monday, Wendy Williams was taken to a New York City hospital by the New York Police Department following a welfare check. Authorities told People that they escorted Williams out of her assisted living facility and placed her in an ambulance, which transported her to the hospital “for evaluation.”

Prior to the incident, the 60-year-old reportedly dropped a note outside her window, according to The New York Post. The note allegedly read, “Help! Wendy!!” After dropping the note, Williams was seen waving her arms at a New York Post reporter while talking on the phone. She was later seen walking out of the facility with several police officers who helped her into a waiting ambulance.

Williams is set to appear on The View this Friday, marking her first daytime TV appearance since leaving her popular talk show, The Wendy Williams Show, in 2021. Former co-executive producer of Williams’ show, Suzanne Bass, shared news of the upcoming appearance on Instagram, posting a video of herself speaking with Williams on the phone.

“Prepping a very special friend for her appearance @theviewabc to air this Friday. #freewendy,” Bass captioned the post.

It’s unclear whether Williams was scheduled to appear on the ABC talk show in person, virtually, or over the phone.

Since 2022, Williams has been under a court-appointed guardianship that prevents her from managing her finances and medical care. In 2024, a press release announced that Williams had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia in 2023. The release noted that she had chosen her medical team and still had “her trademark sense of humor and is receiving the care she requires to make sure she is protected and that her needs are addressed.”

In addition to the press release, Williams’ court-appointed guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, has claimed that Williams is “cognitively impaired, permanently disabled and legally incapacitated,” People reported.

After years of silence, Williams has spoken out against the guardianship in recent months.

“I am not cognitively impaired, but I feel like I am in prison,” Williams said while appearing on The Breakfast Club via phone call in January. “I’m in this place with people who are in their 90s and their 80s and their 70s. … These people, there’s something wrong with these people here on this floor. I am clearly not.”

She explained that the facility, which she described as a “prison,” restricts visits, locks its elevators, and does not allow her to come and go as she pleases. The 60-year-old also alleged that she is unsure what medication the facility is giving her.

Shortly after her The Breakfast Club interview, Morrissey requested that Williams undergo a “new medical evaluation,” People reported.

Tubi released a documentary about Williams, titled TMZ Presents: Saving Wendy Williams, in February. In it, Williams said she couldn’t remember the last time she had seen a medical professional regarding her 2023 diagnoses.

“[It has been] a long while,” Williams said, adding that she “couldn’t” even estimate a time frame.

The former talk show host also claimed, “I was in Connecticut for a year and I didn’t go see anybody. I’ve been in here for six or seven months, and I haven’t seen anybody.”

Williams shared more about her situation later that same month, telling NewsNation’s Banfield that her freedoms are minimal.

“Well, I don’t have the freedom to do virtually anything,” she said. “As far as where I am, I’m on the fifth floor. They call it ‘the memory unit,’ so it’s for people who don’t remember anything.”

She added, “I’ve met the people who live here, and I’ve been here for almost a year now, and this is very suffocating.”

While at the hospital, TMZ reports: “direct knowledge tell TMZ … Wendy scored 10 out of 10 on a psych exam, called a ‘capacity test.’ She was asked 10 questions to determine if she was alert and oriented, and she answered every one correctly. The results of the test are radically different from the assessment of the guardian, who has filed legal docs saying her condition is getting worse, not better. Wendy was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, a diagnosis she disputes. She was not examined Monday to determine if she has been misdiagnosed.”

Professional basketball player turned rapper LiAngelo Ball has inspired millions of TikTok users to “swerve, bend that corner, woah.” Many have speculated about his net worth amid his catapult to musical fame.

According to Celebrity Net Worth, that figure is in the $800,000 neighborhood, but Ball quickly shut that down while appearing on Complex’s 360 with Speedy Morman. So, what’s his actual net worth? Read on for what we know.

Ball said $800,000 may have been his net worth in high school

When speaking with Speedy on a January episode of the show, Ball explained that he doesn’t think the internet has updated its analysis of his finances, Complex reported.

“I think that’s not updated. That might be my high school net worth,” Ball said. “I don’t know. I had whips, though. You know, used to wash a couple whips up, cut some hair. You know that money come in, bro.”

Speedy asked if that number was far from his current net worth.

“Yeah, that’s far off. On the low end. I’m not about to get all into that,” Ball, who uses the stage name Gelo, responded.

When Speedyplayfully asked, “But you’re doing well for yourself?” Ball said, “That’s common sense.”

‘Tweaker’ has made Ball over $600,000

According to Complex, Ball’s viral debut hit “Tweaker” has made over $600,000 since its January release. The song, which also spawned a successful remix with Lil Wayne, has reportedly raked in over 90 million total on-demand streams.

Those streams have helped Ball bring home $476,500 from the song’s master recording rights. And from its publishing, it made $161,500, upping Ball’s check to $638,000.

In addition to the song’s streaming revenue, Ball has been announced as an upcoming performer at Rolling Loud LA alongside artists like ASAP Rocky, Playboi Carti, Sexyy Red, Quavo and Ken Carson. The news comes after Ball signed a reportedly $13 million deal with Def Jam and Universal Music Group in January. The agreement offers the rapper an $8 million guarantee and full ownership of his masters.

So how much is LiAngelo Ball’s net worth?

While his exact net worth is unknown, one thing is clear: it’s likely in the millions—at the very least.

On Friday, Gelo dropped his second single, “Can You Please,” featuring GloRilla. Check out the lyric video for the track below.

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Tesla stocks are plunging as protestors continue to speak up against Elon Musk‘s involvement in the federal government. On Monday, Tesla’s shares fell by more than 13%, marking its lowest point since November, Yahoo Finance reported. At the same time, Musk’s net worth has dropped by $105 billion in recent months.