From Sixth Man to Billionaire Businessman. Junior Bridgeman, Former NBA Player and Entrepreneur Dies at 71
Junior Bridgeman, who played on the Milwaukee Bucks and LA Clippers and tuned a solid NBA career into one of the most impressive business runs in sports history, has died at age 71. He suffered a cardiac event during a charity event interview at Louisville’s Galt House Hotel and later died at a hospital, according to a family spokesperson.
Bridgeman, known for being a reliable sixth man, averaged 13.6 points over 12 seasons—10 with the Bucks, two with the Clippers.
Magic Johnson remembered him as having “one of the sweetest jump shots in the NBA” and praised him for setting a business example for retired athletes.
A Legacy Beyond Basketball
Ulysses Lee Bridgeman Jr. was born in East Chicago, Indiana, on Sept. 17, 1953. He helped lead the University of Louisville to the Final Four in 1975 and still holds a school tournament scoring record. That same year, he was drafted eighth overall by the Lakers but traded to the Bucks in the deal that sent Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to L.A.
Though Milwaukee never made it past the conference finals during his tenure, Bridgeman remained one of the team’s most dependable players. After a short stint with the Clippers and a return to the Bucks, he stepped away from the game to explore new challenges.
“I felt that one thing people were always going to do was eat,” he once said. “So, since I was looking to invest in something, I figured food would be the safest investment.”
Early Investments Spark a Business Empire
Bridgeman’s business hustle started before his playing days ended. In 1978, he invested $150,000 in a cable TV venture with Bucks owner Jim Fitzgerald. That turned into a $700,000 return. Around the same time, he got inspired by then-Bucks GM Wayne Embry, who owned McDonald’s franchises.
By 1984, Bridgeman opened a Wendy’s in Chicago. After retirement, he doubled down—literally going to Wendy’s training school to learn the business. In 1988, he spent $750,000 on five Wendy’s in Milwaukee. “He’d be working in the restaurant like an hourly worker,” said former teammate Sidney Moncrief. “Flipping burgers, washing dishes—he had those work pants on.”
That hands-on approach built Bridgeman Foods Inc. into a powerhouse. At its peak, he owned about 450 fast-food locations—Wendy’s, Chili’s, and later Fazoli’s and Golden Corral. In 2016, he sold most of them and pivoted into Coca-Cola bottling, acquiring distribution rights in several U.S. states and later Canada.
Media Moves and a Return to Basketball
In 2020, Bridgeman pivoted again, purchasing Ebony and Jet magazines from the Clear View Group (CVG) for $14 million. “When you look at Ebony, you look at the history not just for Black people, but of the United States,” he told The Chicago Tribune. His daughter Eden led the media company as CEO at that time.
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In 2023, Bridgeman returned to where it all started, buying a 10% ownership stake in the Milwaukee Bucks. “It just seemed like the natural thing to do,” he said at the time.
Family and Legacy
Bridgeman is survived by his wife, Doris; daughter Eden; sons Ryan and Justin, who now help lead the family’s food and beverage businesses; his sister, two brothers, and six grandchildren. With a net worth of $1.4 billion in 2024, he stood among the rare ranks of billionaire athletes alongside Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
More than a businessman or basketball player, Junior Bridgeman left behind a blueprint—on and off the court—for turning hard work and vision into lasting impact.
