Bill Bradley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bill Bradley
Bradley in 1980
United States Senator from New Jersey
In office January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1997
Preceded by	Clifford P. Case
Succeeded by	Robert Torricelli
Personal details
Born	William Warren Bradley (1943-07-28) July 28, 1943 (age 81) Crystal City, Missouri, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Ernestine Misslbeck Schlant ​ ​ (m. 1974; div. 2007)​
Domestic partner	Betty Sue Flowers (2009 – present)
Children	1
Education	Princeton University (BA) Worcester College, Oxford (BA)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Air Force
Unit	Reserve
Bill Bradley Personal information High school Crystal City (Crystal City, Missouri) Listed height 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Listed weight 205 lb (93 kg) Career information College Princeton (1962–1965) NBA Draft 1965 / Pick: territorial pick Selected by the New York Knicks Pro career 1965–1977 Career history 1965–1966 Olimpia Milano 1967–1977 New York Knicks Career highlights and awards 2× NBA champion (1970, 1973) NBA All-Star (1973) No. 24 retired by New York Knicks EuroLeague champion (1966) 101 Greats of European Basketball (2018) NCAA Final Four MOP (1965) USBWA College Player of the Year (1965) AP College Player of the Year (1965) Helms Foundation College Player of the Year (1965) 2× Sporting News Player of the Year (1964, 1965) UPI College Player of the Year (1965) 2× Consensus first-team All-American (1964, 1965) James E. Sullivan Award (1965) BUSF British University champion (1966) ABBA English National champion (1966) Mr. Basketball USA (1961) First-team Parade All-American (1961) Second-team Parade All-American (1960) Career statistics Points 9,217 (12.4 ppg) Rebounds 2,354 (3.2 rpg) Assists 2,533 (3.4 apg) Medals Men's basketball Representing the United States Olympic Games Gold 1964 Tokyo Team competition Universiade Gold 1965 Budapest Team competition

William Warren Bradley (born July 28, 1943) is an American politician and former professional basketball player. He was a U.S. Senator for New Jersey from 1979 to 1997. He also ran for president in the 2000 election.

Bradley grew up in Crystal City, Missouri. He was very good at basketball from a young age. He also did well in school. He was offered many college scholarships but chose to attend Princeton University. He won a gold medal with the U.S. Olympic basketball team in 1964. He was also named the Most Outstanding Player of the 1965 NCAA Tournament. After graduating, he studied at Oxford University in England.

Later, Bradley joined the New York Knicks in 1967. He played for the Knicks for ten years. During this time, he helped them win two NBA championships in 1970 and 1973. After retiring from basketball in 1977, he decided to enter politics. He was elected to the United States Senate for New Jersey in 1978. He served three terms before leaving in 1997.

Today, Bill Bradley is an author and hosts a radio show. He also works as a business advisor. He is a member of the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Basketball Beginnings

Bill Bradley was born on July 28, 1943, in Crystal City, Missouri. He was the only child of Warren and Susan Bradley. His father was a bank president, and his mother was a teacher. Politics was often discussed in their home.

Bradley started playing basketball when he was nine years old. He became a star player at Crystal City High School. He scored over 3,000 points in his high school career. He was named an All-American player twice. He was also an Eagle Scout.

He was very tall for his age, reaching 6 feet 5 inches by the time he was 15. Bradley practiced basketball a lot. He would spend hours each day working on his skills. He even wore special glasses to help him dribble without looking at the ball.

College Basketball Success

Bradley was considered the best high school basketball player in the country. He chose to go to Princeton University. He did not get a sports scholarship because the Ivy League schools do not offer them.

Bradley practicing at Princeton in 1964

At Princeton, Bradley became a standout player. He wore jersey number 42 to honor his hero, Dick Kazmaier. In his first year, he scored over 30 points per game. He even made 57 free throws in a row.

He was named an All-American in his sophomore and junior years. In 1964, he was chosen for the U.S. Olympic team. He was the youngest player and the only college student. The team won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

As a senior, Bradley was the team captain. He became very famous. He led Princeton to the NCAA Final Four. He scored a record 58 points in one game. He was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player. He also won the James E. Sullivan Award as the best amateur athlete in the U.S.

Bradley scored 2,503 points at Princeton. He averaged over 30 points per game. He was known for passing the ball often to his teammates. After graduating, he received a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Worcester College, Oxford in England.

Professional Basketball Career

In 1965, the New York Knicks drafted Bill Bradley. They picked him because Princeton was close to New York City. But Bradley did not join the team right away. He went to Oxford to study.

Bradley playing for Olimpia Milano in the 1965–66 season

While at Oxford, he played professional basketball in Italy for Olimpia Milano. His team won a European championship in 1966. He also played for the Oxford University team.

Bradley joined the New York Knicks in December 1967. He played for the Knicks for his entire ten-year career. He helped the team win two NBA championships. These wins happened in 1970 and 1973. In 1973, he was also chosen for the NBA All-Star Game.

During his time in the NBA, Bradley scored 9,217 points. He averaged 12.4 points per game. He was known as a tough and smart player. He also used his fame to learn about social and political issues. He even worked as a teacher in Harlem.

In 1976, he wrote a book called Life on the Run. It was about his experiences in the NBA. He retired from basketball in 1977. In 1983, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Knicks also retired his number 24 jersey.

Entering Politics

Bill Bradley was interested in politics from a young age. He studied history at Princeton. Many people who knew him thought he would become a politician. He even wrote on his Rhodes Scholarship application that he wanted to serve as a politician.

While playing for the Knicks, Bradley thought about his future. He realized that sports could help him prepare for politics. He used his free time to meet with journalists and government officials. He also worked on social projects.

In 1977, Bradley decided to run for the United States Senate. He ran in New Jersey, his adopted home state. He won the election in 1978.

Serving in the U.S. Senate

As a Senator, Bradley was known for focusing on important policy changes. He worked on complex reforms. One big achievement was helping to change the federal tax code in 1986. This made taxes simpler and lowered rates.

Drawer of Bradley's former Senate Chamber desk (Bradley's signature is visible in the upper left corner)

He also worked on other important issues. These included making sure parents paid child support. He also worked on laws about lead poisoning in children. He supported efforts to reduce the government's debt.

Bradley at his Senate office in 1987

Bradley was re-elected as Senator in 1984. He won with a large number of votes. In 1987, he tried to pass a law to return land in the Black Hills to the Sioux tribe. This law did not pass.

In 1988, some people wanted him to run for president. But he decided not to. He was re-elected to the Senate again in 1990. In 1995, he announced he would not run again. He said that American politics felt "broken."

While in office, Bradley would walk the beaches of New Jersey. He did this to check on the coast and talk to people.

Presidential Campaign

Bill Bradley ran for president in the 2000 Democratic primaries. He ran against Vice President Al Gore. Bradley presented himself as a more liberal choice. He supported ideas like universal health care and stricter gun control.

Bill Bradley for President campaign logo used in various materials in 1999 and 2000

He also wanted to improve public education. He suggested giving money to states for schools. He also wanted to help more children get into Head Start. He focused on reducing child poverty.

Bradley received support from many well-known people. These included other senators and basketball stars like Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson. Jackson was a close friend and supported Bradley's campaign.

However, Bradley's campaign struggled. He lost to Al Gore in the early primary elections. On March 9, 2000, he ended his campaign. He then supported Al Gore for president. He said he would keep speaking out about issues he cared about.

Life After Politics

After leaving politics, Bill Bradley continued to be active. In 2000, he was offered a job to lead the United States Olympic Committee, but he turned it down. Oxford University gave him an honorary degree in 2003.

Bradley at the LBJ Presidential Library in 2020

In 2008, he supported Barack Obama for president. He campaigned for Obama and appeared on TV. He has also worked as a business consultant. He is on the board of several companies and non-profit groups.

Bradley is involved with DonorsChoose.org. This is an online charity that helps classrooms in need. He also works with Issue One, a group that wants to reduce the influence of money in politics.

In 2022, Bradley created a one-man show about his life called Rolling Along. It was shown as a film in 2023.

Personal Life

Bill Bradley married Ernestine Schlant in 1974. She was a professor. They had one daughter, Theresa Anne. They divorced in 2007. Since 2009, his partner has been Betty Sue Flowers.

Recognition

In January 2025, President Joe Biden announced that Bill Bradley would receive the Presidential Citizens Medal. This award recognizes people who have done great community service.

Career Statistics

NBA

Source

Regular season

Playoffs

Published Works

• Bradley, Bill Life on the Run (Bantam Books, 1977) ISBN: 0-553110551
• Bradley, Bill Time Present, Time Past: A Memoir (Alfred A. Knopf, 1996) ISBN: 978-0679444886
• Bradley, Bill Values of the Game (Artisan, 1998) ISBN: 1-57965116X
• Bradley, Bill The Journey from Here (Artisan, 2000) ISBN: 1-579651658
• Bradley, Bill The New American Story (Random House, 2007) ISBN: 978-1400065073
• Bradley, Bill We Can All Do Better (Vanguard Press, May 8, 2012) ISBN: 978-1593157296

See also

In Spanish: Bill Bradley para niños

• List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career free throw scoring leaders
• List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds
• List of Princeton University Olympians
• List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise