Former NBA player, billionaire entrepreneur Junior Bridgeman dies

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — An NBA player who had a second act as a billionaire after leaving the game has died.

Ulysses “Junior” Bridgeman was 71 years old.

Bridgeman had a medical emergency during a fundraising event Tuesday at a Louisville hotel.

He was being interviewed by WLKY during an appearance at a luncheon for Scouting America’s Lincoln Heritage Council. Boy Scouts of America rebranded itself last month as Scouting America.

Bridgeman told the reporter that he thought he was having a heart attack during the interview. He was taken to an area hospital by ambulance where he died.

Bridgeman during his time in college led the Louisville Cardinals to the Final Four during his senior year season in 1975, The Associated Press reported. They lost to the eventual national champion UCLA 75-74.

Over three seasons playing for Denny Crum, he scored 1,348 points and had 657 rebounds. Bridgeman was named an All-American, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.

He was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1975 draft as the eighth pick but he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of the deal for Kareem Abdul-Jabar, the AP reported.

He played 711 games with Milwaukee and is third in number of games played for the team. The Bucks retired Bridgeman’s No. 2 jersey in 1988.

He also played for the Los Angeles Clippers and was the president and treasurer for the NBA Players Association, the Herald-Leader reported.

Off the court, Bridgeman found success and became a billionaire, according to Forbes.

He owned, what the newspaper called, an empire of Wendy’s and Chili’s restaurants,

The AP said he owned more than 450 restaurants in 20 states. He sold most of them in 2016, WLKY reported.

Bridgemen also was a Coca-Cola bottler, owner of Jet and Ebony magazines and a part owner of the Valhalla Golf Club, according to both the AP and the Herald-Leader.

Last year Bridgeman went back to basketball, but as an owner, after purchasing a partial stake in the Bucks.

“The opportunity to get back involved with the team in a different way and take advantage of it was something that was kind of a dream,” Bridgeman said when he announced that he had a 10% stake in the team, the AP reported.

The team released a statement on social media writing, “We are shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of Bucks legend and owner Junior Bridgeman.”

Louisville mayor Craig Greenberg remembered Bridgeman, writing, “He was an All-American at UofL, an NBA All-Star, and a self-made billionaire. Yet, I will most remember Junior Bridgeman for his quiet, impactful assistance to others in need, his love for Doris and his entire family, and his never-ending support for our community,” the Herald-Leader reported.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called Bridgeman “a mentor to generations of NBA players.”

Bridgeman leaves behind his wife Doris and their three children, WLKY reported.

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