Junior Bridgeman, a local billionaire businessman and former basketball star in both Louisville and the NBA, has died.
Former NBA sixth man Junior Bridgeman, who became a billionaire philanthropist and a minority owner of the Milwaukee Bucks team he once played for, passed away Tuesday following a medical emergency at an event in Louisville, Kentucky. Bridgeman came from humble beginnings to establish one of the most prosperous post-playing business careers of any professional athlete.
Bridgeman was 71.
At one point during a fundraiser luncheon, Bridgeman reportedly grasped his chest and told several Louisville news stations that he thought he was having a heart attack. Emergency medical personnel were contacted, according to the stations, which included WLKY and WAVE.
“I am devastated to learn of the sudden passing of Junior Bridgeman,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in a video. “Junior, the ultimate entrepreneur, became a well-respected and prosperous business leader after building on his influential 12-year NBA playing career.
Generations of NBA players and sportsmen from other sports looked up to him as a mentor, eager to learn from him about how to succeed in the business world.
Junior was a devoted member of the NBA family for fifty years, most recently as a player who set the bar for representing the league and our game with respect and class, as well as a minority owner of the Milwaukee Bucks and an investment in NBA Africa.
“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.”
He began making investments in Wendy’s restaurants during his NBA career, and with the help of his business Bridgeman Foods Inc., he eventually created a fast-food empire that now consists of over 450 locations.
He sold most of them in 2016.
His other businesses include the bottling of Coca-Cola and the magazines Jet and Ebony. In addition, he shares ownership of Louisville’s Valhalla Golf Club.
Bridgeman only acquired a minority stake in the Bucks, his old franchise, last year.
