Bucks legend Junior Bridgeman passes on at 71

He was a key member of the division-winning early 80s Bucks and an impressive entrepreneur off the court

There was unfortunate news out of Louisville today, announcing the passing of Bucks legend Junior Bridgeman at 71 after an apparent heart attack:

Drafted eighth overall in the 1975 draft by the Lakers (after a standout career at Louisville, including two conference player of the year honors and a run to the Final Four), Bridgeman was included in the infamous trade that sent Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Los Angeles. He would proceed to spend his first nine seasons in Milwaukee. After an iffy rookie year under Larry Costello, he would catch fire under Don Nelson, and alongside other Bucks greats like Bob Dandridge, Marques Johnson, and Sidney Moncrief, the Bucks would win division titles for five consecutive seasons (1980-84). During those seasons, he was a model of consistency, scoring between 12 and 18 ppg and adding several boards and a few assists for good measure. He was traded to Los Angeles—the Clippers this time—in 1984, alongside Marques Johnson. However, he would return to Milwaukee for a limited final season in 1986 before retiring in 1987.

Although the Sixth Man of the Year award did not exist back then, his campaigns would have made Bobby Portis blush, with double-figure scoring in nine consecutive seasons (eight with the Bucks). He is among the top Bucks in terms of games played (third), field goals made (seventh), points (ninth), and minutes (tenth). For his efforts, his number 2 was retired by the Bucks in 1988. Over the years, he often appeared at Bucks games and events, and followed the team during their title run in 2021. But he wasn’t done! Only last year, he purchased a 10% interest in the Bucks, cementing his connection to the team. It’s a shame that we won’t get to see that number grow.

Those are the highlights of his affiliation with Milwaukee Bucks, but Bridgeman accomplished far more besides—primarily off the court. After working at Wendy’s in the off-seasons of his time with the Bucks, he eventually owned more than 100 Wendy’s and Chili’s locations. His entrepreneurial streak didn’t stop there, investing in Ebony and Jet magazines as well as a number of bottling ventures for high-profile companies like Coca-Cola. He would become one of the world’s wealthiest athletes off the court despite being “only” a sixth man on the court.

Besides his entrepreneurial work, he was sought after for a number of leadership positions, serving on the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Governors, PGA Board of Directors, the Churchill Downs Inc. Board of Directors, the University of Louisville Board of Trustees, and the Simmons College of Kentucky Board of Trustees. Simply put, he put in a lot of work for a lot of causes.

We here at Brew Hoop extend our condolences to Bridgeman’s family, friends, and fans. Bridgeman had considerable impact both on and off the court, epitomizing where hard work can take you. R.I.P. Junior.