Junior Bridgeman Dies: Former NBA Player And Billionaire Entrepreneur Was 71

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.