Black People Magic pays tribute today to former NBA player, philanthropist, and billionaire businessman Ulysses Lee “Junior” Bridgeman. He passed away Tuesday from a heart attack while attending an event in Louisville Kentucky. He was 71.
The East Chicago, Indiana native was a study in success… though he never made more than $350,000 a season during his NBA career, he had a net worth of over $1.4 billion, making him one of the wealthiest former athletes in the world.
On the off-season during his playing career, Bridgeman worked and learned the business model of Wendy’s fast food restaurant franchise. After retiring from the NBA, he invested in the franchise and eventually owned over 100 Wendy’s and Chili’s restaurants, before selling them in 2016.
As President and CEO of Bridgeman Foods Inc., he later became a bottler for The Coca-Cola Company, and in 2018, he signed a letter of intent to buy bottling operations in Canada.
Then in 2020, another company he owned, Bridgeman Sports and Media, bought Ebony and Jet magazines for $14 million after they had declared bankruptcy earlier in the year. On September 24, 2024, the Bucks announced that Bridgeman had purchased a 10% interest in the team, with the deal valuing the franchise at $4 billion.)
He was also a philanthropist who’s been honored numerous times for his contributions that give back to community.
Bridgeman’s #2 jersey was retired by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1988, and in 2009, a portion of Grace Street in East Chicago, Indiana, was named in his honor. The Bucks will wear a jersey patch to honor his memory for the remainder of the season.
& Remember to always celebrate your magic! xo
