Junior Bridgeman, billionaire businessman and 12-year NBA veteran, dead at 71
Junior Bridgeman, a former college basketball star who went on to have a lengthy career in the NBA and became a billionaire businessman following his playing days, died on Tuesday after suffering a medical emergency during a downtown Louisville event. Multiple outlets reported that Bridgeman, 71, had grabbed his chest and said he believed he was having a heart attack while at the 45th Annual Leadership Luncheon on Scouting, which benefits the Lincoln Heritage Council, Scouting America at the Galt House Hotel.The operator of the hotel confirmed Bridgeman’s passing in a statement to WAVE News in Lousiville and the city’s mayor, Craig Greenberg, issued a statement on the passing of the billionaire. “Today, we lost a kind, generous and groundbreaking legend,” Greenberg said.“He was an All-American at UofL, an NBA All-Star, and a self-made billionaire.
Yet, I will most remember Junior Bridgeman for his quiet, impactful assistance to others in need, his love for Doris and his entire family, and his never-ending support for our community.Junior made us all better people and Louisville a better city. Rachel and I send our love and prayers to the Bridgeman family.
May Junior’s memory be a blessing.” The incident occurred in front of people attending the event and while Kent Taylor, the sports director at WLKY, had been interviewing him. Emergency personnel were called and he was taken away by ambulance. Bridgeman spent over a decade in the NBA after playing college ball at the University of Louisville from 1972-75, where he won Valley Conference Player of the Year in his final two seasons and helped the Cardinals make two Final Four appearances. He was taken No.8 overall in the 1975 NBA Draft by the Lakers and then was traded to the Bucks weeks later, where he spent the first nine years of his pro career.
He later went to the Clippers for two seasons before ending his career back in Milwaukee.During that time he averaged 13.6 points, 3.5 rebounds a...