Junior Bridgeman facts for kids
Bridgeman c. 1977
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 17, 1953 East Chicago, Indiana, U.S. |
| Died | March 11, 2025 (aged 71) Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| High school | Washington (East Chicago, Indiana) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Louisville (1972–1975) |
| NBA Draft | 1975 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8th overall |
| Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers | |
| Pro career | 1975–1987 |
| Career history | |
| 1975–1984 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1984–1986 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 1986–1987 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career statistics | |
| Points | 11,517 (13.6 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 2,995 (3.5 rpg) |
| Assists | 2,066 (2.4 apg) |
Ulysses Lee "Junior" Bridgeman Jr. (September 17, 1953 – March 11, 2025) was an American professional basketball player. He also became a very successful businessman. Bridgeman played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers from 1975 to 1987.
After his basketball career, Bridgeman owned many fast-food restaurants. He also became a Coca-Cola bottler and distributor. Later, he bought Ebony and Jet magazines. Even though he never earned more than $350,000 a season playing basketball, Bridgeman became worth over $1.4 billion. This made him one of the richest former athletes in the world.
Contents
Early Life and High School Basketball
Ulysses Lee Bridgeman Jr. was born in East Chicago, Indiana. His father, Ulysses Lee Bridgeman Sr., worked in a steel mill. His mother, Delores Bridgeman, was a homemaker.
Junior went to Washington High School. He was part of their amazing 1971 basketball team. That team had a perfect record, winning all 29 games. They also won the Indiana state high school basketball championship. His brother Sam, Pete Trgovich, and Tim Stoddard were some of his teammates.
College Basketball Career
Bridgeman was a tall player, about 6 feet 5 inches. He played as a guard and forward. He went to the University of Louisville and played college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team.
He was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year in both 1974 and 1975. In 1974, he led the Louisville Cardinals to the 1974 NCAA Division I basketball tournament. The next year, as a senior, he led them to the Final Four of the 1975 NCAA Division I basketball tournament. They lost a close game to UCLA by just one point. During his college career, Bridgeman averaged 15.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.
Playing in the NBA
Starting with the Milwaukee Bucks
The Los Angeles Lakers chose Bridgeman as the eighth pick in the 1975 NBA draft. But just a few weeks later, the Lakers traded him to the Milwaukee Bucks. This trade also involved David Meyers, Elmore Smith, and Brian Winters going to the Bucks. In return, the Lakers received the famous player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
As a rookie in the 1975–1976 season, Bridgeman averaged 8.6 points per game. The next season, a new coach, Don Nelson, took over. Bridgeman's playing improved, and he averaged 14.4 points per game. On December 15, 1976, he scored a career-high 41 points in a game against the Boston Celtics.
Bridgeman played with many great teammates in Milwaukee. These included Bob Dandridge, Marques Johnson, and Sidney Moncrief. The Bucks were a strong team during his time there. They won their division titles in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1984.
Moving to the Los Angeles Clippers
After nine seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, Bridgeman was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in 1984. He played two seasons there. On January 29, 1985, he scored 30 points in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Returning to Milwaukee and Retirement
Bridgeman returned to the Milwaukee Bucks for one more season in 1986. He retired from basketball in 1987. He played 711 games for the Bucks, which was the most in the team's history at that time. This record was later broken by Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2023. In his 12-year NBA career, Bridgeman scored a total of 11,517 points.
His Role as a Sixth Man
For most of his career, Bridgeman was a "sixth man". This means he usually came off the bench instead of starting the game. Even so, he scored double figures (10 points or more) for nine seasons in a row. Many people believe he would have won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award multiple times if it had existed earlier.
Overall, Bridgeman played in 849 NBA games. He averaged 13.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game.
Leading the Players' Union
Bridgeman also served as the president of the National Basketball Players Association. This is the union for NBA players. He held this role from 1985 to 1988. He stepped down after a disagreement between the players and the NBA. The players felt that certain rules were unfair and affected their earnings.
Becoming a Business Leader
During the off-seasons when he was still playing basketball, Bridgeman worked at a Wendy's fast-food restaurant. He learned how the business worked. After he retired from the NBA, he invested in the Wendy's franchise.
He eventually owned more than 450 fast-food restaurants. These included over 160 Wendy's and 120 Chili's restaurants. In 2016, he sold many of his restaurants. Then, he started a Coca-Cola bottling company. This company distributes Coca-Cola drinks.
In 2016, Forbes magazine said Bridgeman was the fourth-wealthiest retired athlete in the world. He was behind only Michael Jordan, David Beckham, and Arnold Palmer. His estimated income was $32 million that year.
As the head of Bridgeman Foods Inc, he continued to expand his business. In 2020, his company, Bridgeman Sports and Media, bought Ebony and Jet magazines for $14 million. These magazines had gone through a difficult time financially.
In 2022, a company he co-founded, Manna Capital Partners, announced plans to build a large aluminum recycling plant in New Mexico. They also planned a bottling facility in Alabama.
On September 24, 2024, the Milwaukee Bucks announced that Bridgeman had bought a 10% share of the team. This deal valued the team at $4 billion.
NBA Career Statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Regular Season Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975–76 | Milwaukee | 81 | – | 20.3 | .439 | – | .795 | 3.6 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 8.6 |
| 1976–77 | Milwaukee | 82 | – | 29.4 | .449 | .000 | .864 | 5.1 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 14.4 |
| 1977–78 | Milwaukee | 82 | – | 22.9 | .503 | .000 | .810 | 3.5 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 13.6 |
| 1978–79 | Milwaukee | 82 | – | 23.9 | .506 | .000 | .829 | 3.6 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 15.5 |
| 1979–80 | Milwaukee | 81 | – | 28.6 | .478 | .185 | .865 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 17.6 |
| 1980–81 | Milwaukee | 77 | – | 28.8 | .487 | .143 | .884 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 16.8 |
| 1981–82 | Milwaukee | 41 | 4 | 22.5 | .483 | .444 | .864 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 12.5 |
| 1982–83 | Milwaukee | 70 | 5 | 26.5 | .492 | .077 | .837 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 14.4 |
| 1983–84 | Milwaukee | 81 | 10 | 30.0 | .465 | .194 | .807 | 4.1 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 15.1 |
| 1984–85 | LA Clippers | 80 | 15 | 25.5 | .465 | .359 | .879 | 2.9 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 13.9 |
| 1985–86 | LA Clippers | 58 | 14 | 20.0 | .441 | .333 | .891 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 8.8 |
| 1986–87 | Milwaukee | 34 | 4 | 12.3 | .462 | .167 | .800 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 5.1 |
| Career | 849 | 52 | 25.0 | .475 | .244 | .846 | 3.5 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 13.6 | |
Playoff Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975–76 | Milwaukee | 3 | – | 22.3 | .450 | – | .636 | 3.7 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 8.3 |
| 1977–78 | Milwaukee | 9 | – | 19.8 | .484 | – | .750 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 10.4 |
| 1979–80 | Milwaukee | 5 | – | 24.8 | .357 | .000 | .733 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 10.2 |
| 1980–81 | Milwaukee | 7 | – | 26.1 | .462 | 1.000 | .813 | 2.1 | 3.3 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 14.0 |
| 1982–83 | Milwaukee | 9 | – | 34.2 | .469 | .400 | .933 | 5.0 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 16.9 |
| 1983–84 | Milwaukee | 16 | – | 31.2 | .456 | .111 | .815 | 4.0 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 14.4 |
| Career | 49 | – | 27.7 | .454 | .250 | .814 | 3.5 | 2.6 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 13.3 | |
Personal Life and Legacy
Junior Bridgeman was a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He also served on the boards of several important organizations. These included the PGA of America and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He was also on the board of directors for Churchill Downs, where the Kentucky Derby is held.
The Milwaukee Bucks honored Bridgeman many times after he retired. He often appeared at games for special events and charity drives. When the Bucks reached the 2021 NBA Finals, Bridgeman shared his excitement. He said he felt a connection to the team and admired the players who made it to the Finals.
Junior Bridgeman was a member of the Southeast Christian Church in Louisville. He passed away in Louisville on March 11, 2025, after having a heart attack. He was 71 years old. A public memorial service was held for him on March 22.
Honors and Awards
- In 1988, the Milwaukee Bucks retired his jersey number, No. 2. This means no other player on the team will ever wear that number again.
- He was inducted into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.
- In 2007, he was honored by the University of Louisville College of Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame.
- He was inducted into the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame in 2009.
- In 2009, a street in his hometown, East Chicago, Indiana, was named in his honor.
- He was inducted into the Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame in 2014 for his business success.
- In 2019, he received the Gold Cup award from Greater Louisville Inc. for his business and community work.
See also
In Spanish: Junior Bridgeman para niños
