Former Milwaukee Bucks player Ulysses “Junior” Bridgeman, who starred with the team for 10 years in the 1970s and ‘80s, became a billionaire businessman after his playing career, and joined the Bucks ownership group last year, has died.
Bridgeman, 71, suffered a medical emergency Tuesday at the 45th Annual Leadership Luncheon on Scouting, benefiting the Lincoln Heritage Council, Scouting America, in Louisville, Kentucky. At the event Bridgeman was being interviewed in front of the crowd when he expressed that he thought he was having a heart attack, according to a report from WLKY-TV.
The Bucks retired Bridgeman’s #2 jersey in 1988 in recognition of his career with the team. He was inducted into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.
After an NBA career marked by 711 games played and eight postseason appearances with the Bucks, Bridgeman went on to excel in the business world. He began investing in restaurants and eventually became the owner and CEO of Bridgeman Foods, which operated more than 450 Wendy’s and Chili’s restaurants in 20 states until 2016. In 2017, Bridgeman Foods acquired Lenexa, Kansas-based Heartland Coca-Cola Bottling Company LLC, making Bridgeman an independent bottler for Coca-Cola.
In September the Bucks announced that he had joined the ownership group of the team as a “significant minority” owner. The Bucks did not disclose Bridgeman’s ownership stake. Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam said several owners of small percentages of the Bucks sold their shares back to the franchise and they were then resold to Bridgeman.
Bridgeman was also the owner of Ebony and Jet magazines, both of which he purchased out of bankruptcy in 2020. He served on the boards of at least 15 organizations, including the PGA of America, Churchill Downs, Meijer Inc. and his alma mater, the University of Louisville.
“The Milwaukee Bucks are shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of Bucks legend and owner Junior Bridgeman,” the Bucks said in a statement. “Junior’s retired No. 2 jersey hangs in Fiserv Forum, serving as a constant remembrance of his outstanding play on the court and his 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 when he returned to the Bucks family as an owner. His memory will always be an inspiration to the Bucks organization. We are heartbroken by Junior’s passing and we send our deepest condolences to his wife, Doris, his children, Eden, Justin, and Ryan, his entire family and all those close to him.”
“Junior Bridgeman was truly a legend both on and off the court, and we are lucky to have him as a member of the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame,” said Mark Kass, executive director of the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame. “He was a star player for 10 seasons for the Milwaukee Bucks and was known for his outstanding play on the court, which the team recognized by retiring his number. His post-NBA career was just as legendary as he became one of the top business and philanthropic leaders in the country. It was great to see him return to the Bucks in 2024 as a minority owner of the team. We send our deepest condolences to his family and the entire Bucks organization.”
