Junior Bridgeman has passed away: former NBA player and successful businessman
12 march 2025 в 17:37
Former NBA player and successful businessman Junior Bridgeman passed away in March 2025 after reportedly suffering a heart attack in Louisville, Kentucky. He was 71 years old and is survived by his wife and family. Bridgeman built a significant career after basketball through owning restaurants and Ebony and Jet magazines, becoming a minority owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, and working as a philanthropist.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed his condolences to Bridgeman’s family in a statement received by ESPN, conveying the league’s «sincere condolences to his wife Doris, their children Eden, Justin, and Ryan, the Bucks organization, and his numerous friends and fans in the basketball community».
«I am shocked to learn of the sudden passing of Junior Bridgeman», - Silver’s statement read. «Junior was a true entrepreneur who continued his significant 12-year NBA career to become a highly respected and successful business leader. He served as a mentor to generations of NBA players and athletes in various sports who sought to learn from him what it takes to thrive in the business world. Junior was a devoted member of the NBA family for 50 years — most recently as a minority owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, an investor in NBA Africa, and as a player who set the standard for representing the league and our game with dignity and respect».
Learn more about Bridgeman’s wife and children below.
Before being drafted into the NBA, Bridgeman grew up in East Chicago, Indiana. He fell in love with basketball and eventually became a star on the 1971 championship team at Washington High School. In 1975, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers, and then traded to the Milwaukee Bucks a few weeks later. He played for the Bucks for most of his NBA career, except for a two-year period with the Los Angeles Clippers from 1984 to 1986.
Thanks to his business ventures after his NBA career, Bridgeman amassed a fortune of $ 1.4 billion, as reported by Forbes, according to ESPN. According to the sports publication, Bridgeman never earned more than $ 350,000 per season in the NBA.
After a successful career on the basketball court, Bridgeman went on to build a fast-food empire in the US, with over 450 restaurants nationwide. He later became a Coca-Cola distributor, purchased Ebony and Jet magazines, invested in NBA Africa, and recently acquired a 10% stake in the Milwaukee Bucks.
Yes, Bridgeman was married to his wife Doris Griffith. They successfully kept the details of their relationship away from the public eye, so little is known about her.
Yes, Bridgeman is survived by his three children, Eden, Justin, and Ryan, whom he shared with his wife
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed his condolences to Bridgeman’s family in a statement received by ESPN, conveying the league’s «sincere condolences to his wife Doris, their children Eden, Justin, and Ryan, the Bucks organization, and his numerous friends and fans in the basketball community».
«I am shocked to learn of the sudden passing of Junior Bridgeman», - Silver’s statement read. «Junior was a true entrepreneur who continued his significant 12-year NBA career to become a highly respected and successful business leader. He served as a mentor to generations of NBA players and athletes in various sports who sought to learn from him what it takes to thrive in the business world. Junior was a devoted member of the NBA family for 50 years — most recently as a minority owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, an investor in NBA Africa, and as a player who set the standard for representing the league and our game with dignity and respect».
Learn more about Bridgeman’s wife and children below.
Before being drafted into the NBA, Bridgeman grew up in East Chicago, Indiana. He fell in love with basketball and eventually became a star on the 1971 championship team at Washington High School. In 1975, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers, and then traded to the Milwaukee Bucks a few weeks later. He played for the Bucks for most of his NBA career, except for a two-year period with the Los Angeles Clippers from 1984 to 1986.
Thanks to his business ventures after his NBA career, Bridgeman amassed a fortune of $ 1.4 billion, as reported by Forbes, according to ESPN. According to the sports publication, Bridgeman never earned more than $ 350,000 per season in the NBA.
After a successful career on the basketball court, Bridgeman went on to build a fast-food empire in the US, with over 450 restaurants nationwide. He later became a Coca-Cola distributor, purchased Ebony and Jet magazines, invested in NBA Africa, and recently acquired a 10% stake in the Milwaukee Bucks.
Yes, Bridgeman was married to his wife Doris Griffith. They successfully kept the details of their relationship away from the public eye, so little is known about her.
Yes, Bridgeman is survived by his three children, Eden, Justin, and Ryan, whom he shared with his wife
© Kolganov Andrey
