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Junior Bridgeman Honored at Fiserv Forum
In the last two weeks, the Bucks have gone 5-4, with a record of 38-29. It’s good enough for second place in the NBA Central Division, and fourth place in the Eastern Conference playoff standings. During that span, Giannis Antetokounmpo chalked up three triple-doubles, three double-doubles, and led all scorers in seven of those games.
They beat the Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers in succession, before losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-105, on Sunday night. They also put together a string of four consecutive wins, followed by three straight losses to the Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers and the Pacers.
The trends, games, stats and everything else fade into the background when a man considered a legend to the team is suddenly gone. That news came Tuesday night to the Indiana Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where the Bucks were preparing to play the Pacers.
Ulysses Lee “Junior” Bridgeman, 71, passed away from a heart attack, while appearing at a benefit luncheon for the Lincoln Heritage Council, Scouting America in Louisville, Kentucky. He told representatives at the Galt House Hotel that his condition felt like a heart attack. He was immediately taken to a local hospital by ambulance, where he succumbed to the condition.
Integral to the Community
“Junior Bridgeman was an integral part of our community,” said Lance George, the Al J. Scheider's Company’s chief marketing officer. “From his athletic impact to his philanthropic efforts, he will be deeply missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family at this time.”
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He wore the Bucks’ colors for 10 years, from 1975-1984, and then again, from 1986-1987. Overall, he had 11,517 points, averaged 13.6 points per game, nearly 3,000 rebounds, 2,066 assists for his career. Bridgeman was also an owner of the Milwaukee Bucks.
In a statement, the Bucks said, “Junior’s retired No. 2 jersey hangs in Fiserv Forum, serving as a constant remembrance of his outstanding play on the court and impact on the Bucks' success. His hard work and perseverance led him to become one of the nation’s top business leaders, and last September, Junior’s professional life came full circle.
“He returned to the Bucks family as an owner,” it continued. “His memory will always be an inspiration to the Bucks organization.”
Business Acumen
Forbes magazine listed him as the fourth richest retired NBA player at $1.4 billion. It was his business acumen, which started during his playing career in learning fast food business models that started it all. His holdings included over 450 fast food franchises, a Coca-Cola distribution company covering three states, local board positions, and a 10% share of the Bucks.
However, it was Bridgeman’s philanthropic initiatives that were largely kept out of the spotlight that included contributions to education and community development plans. He never really pushed for recognition, preferring to let the focus stay on those projects.
At a pre-game press conference, prior to the Pacers game, Milwaukee head coach Doc Rivers said, “Just really a dark day, a tough day losing Junior … I’ve known him since I was in college. He was one of the guys, him, and Quinn Buckner, that would call me at Marquette to get me to go play with the Bucks, of all places.”
When you see the No. 2 jersey, hanging in the Fiserv Forum, it serves as a reminder of what we can do in this life, for ourselves and others.
The Bucks come home to the Fiserv against the New York Knicks (March 28), and the Atlanta Hawks (March 30).
