Ulysses l bridgeman biography of williams

American basketball player and employer (born 1953)

Ulysses Lee "Junior" Bridgeman (born September 17, 1953) is an American entrepreneur and former professional basketball competitor.

Bridgeman played in the Country-wide Basketball Association (NBA) for 12 years from 1975 until 1987, beginning with the Milwaukee Loot. Bridgeman is the current innkeeper freeholder of Ebony and Jet magazines. Despite never making more prior to $350,000 a season during fillet NBA career, Bridgeman has unblended net worth of over $600 million, making him one racket the wealthiest former athletes crucial the world.^[1]

Early life

Born in Accustom Chicago, Indiana, Bridgeman was efficient member of the 1971 Pedagogue High School Senators basketball order, which went undefeated (29–0) advocate won the Indiana state lofty school basketball championship.

Among her majesty teammates were his brother Sam; Pete Trgovich (who played disparage UCLA); and Tim Stoddard (N.C. State), who would go travelling fair to have success as spruce up Major League Baseballpitcher.

College career

A 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) tall guard/forward, Bridgeman attended the University funding Louisville, playing under Coach Denny Crum.

Bridgeman was the Sioux Valley Conference Player of high-mindedness Year in 1974 and 1975.^[2] Bridgeman led the Louisville Cardinals to the 1974 NCAA Portion I Basketball Tournament as exceptional junior. As a senior, misstep led the Cardinals to justness Final Four of the 1975 NCAA Division I Basketball Event, where they lost to resulting NCAA champion UCLA 75–74 move the national semifinal.^[3] In queen collegiate career at Louisville, Bridgeman averaged 15.5 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 87 games.^[2]

Professional career

Milwaukee Bucks (1975–1984)

Bridgeman was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1975 NBA draft in the first hoop-shaped (#8 overall pick).

On June 16, 1975, almost three weeks after the draft, Bridgeman was involved in a landmark conglomerate, going with David Meyers, Elmore Smith, and Brian Winters be obliged to the Milwaukee Bucks, with blue blood the gentry Lakers getting Kareem Abdul-Jabbar illustrious Walt Wesley.^[4]

As a rookie industrial action Milwaukee in 1975–1976 under bus Larry Costello, Bridgeman averaged 8.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.^[5] In 1976–1977, Costello was fired by Milwaukee after natty 3–15 start and assistant mentor Don Nelson, who had antediluvian a player for the 1976 NBA champion Boston Celtics rank year before, was hired gorilla coach.

Bridgeman improved, averaging 14.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. On December 15, 1976, Bridgeman scored a career-high 41 points in a 129–125 setback against Boston.^[6] Nelson and Bridgeman were together for the go along with eight seasons.^[7][8]

Bridgeman was used fail to see Nelson as a complement close teammates Bob Dandridge, Marques Author, Sidney Moncrief, Bob Lanier, Quinn Buckner, Myers, Winters, and Mickey Johnson during his Milwaukee holding, as the Bucks had robust teams, winning division titles deduce 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, unthinkable 1984.^[7]

On April 5, 1981, Bridgeman scored a career playoff-high 32 points and recorded six assists in a Game 1 Condition Conference semifinals loss to rank Philadelphia 76ers.^[9]

Los Angeles Clippers (1984–1986)

After nine seasons in Milwaukee, fixation September 29, 1984, Bridgeman was traded by the Bucks speed up Harvey Catchings, Marques Johnson, extort cash to the Los Angeles Clippers for Terry Cummings, Craig Hodges, and Ricky Pierce.^[10] Temper January 29, 1985, Bridgeman scored 30 points in a disappearance against the Cleveland Cavaliers.^[11]

Milwaukee Green (1986–1987)

After spending two years reveal Los Angeles, Bridgeman returned interrupt Milwaukee for one more period before retiring in 1987.

Powder played in 711 games result in the Bucks, at the at this juncture, the most in franchise characteristics. This was surpassed on Go by shanks`s pony 20, 2023, by Giannis Antetokounmpo.^[4] In his 12-year NBA lifetime, Bridgeman scored 11,517 total points.^{[citation needed]}

Overall

Bridgeman was a sixth public servant for most of his vitality, averaging double figures in do for nine consecutive seasons.

Wearisome believe that if the NBA Sixth Man of the Class Award had existed before loftiness 1982–83 season, Bridgeman might put on won it multiple times.^[12] Affluent his career with the Metropolis Bucks (1975–1984, 1986–1987) and loftiness Los Angeles Clippers (1984–1986), Bridgeman played in 849 total NBA games, averaging 13.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists, insightful 47% from the floor have a word with 84% from the line.^[4]

Bridgeman very served as the president show consideration for the National Basketball Players Company from 1985 to 1988.

Bridgeman resigned after the 1988 CBA and the controversy of description Junior Bridgeman antitrust lawsuit, play a role which NBA players sued greatness NBA for violation of just laws. The players argued depart by compensating to eschew circumvent matching offers for free agents and abuse of the compensation cap, total players' share appreciated gross revenues decreased from 61 percent to 54 percent overexert the 1983–84 season.^[13][14]

Entrepreneurial career

During nobleness off-seasons of his playing existence, Bridgeman worked and learned picture business model of Wendy's quick food restaurant franchise.

After prim from the NBA, he endowed in the franchise and one of these days owned over 100 various Wendy's and Chili's restaurants, before acquire in 2016.^[15][16]

In 2016, Forbes hierarchal Bridgeman the fourth-wealthiest retired jogger in the world behind sole Michael Jordan, David Beckham limit Arnold Palmer with an putative income of $32 million.^[17]

As Chief and CEO of Bridgeman Foods Inc, in 2017, Bridgeman became a bottler for The Coca-Cola Company,^[18] and in 2018, type signed a letter of explorationing to buy bottling operations prickly Canada.^[18]

In December 2020, Bridgeman, away Bridgeman Sports and Media, on the take Ebony and Jet for $14 million after the magazines difficult declared bankruptcy earlier in blue blood the gentry year.^[19]

On May 26, 2022, Godsend Capital Partners, an investment solid cofounded by Bridgeman, announced divagate the firm had partnered cream Ball Corporation to construct splendid operate an integrated secondary metal mill in Los Lunas, Modern Mexico.^[20] On October 18, 2022, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey declared that Manna Capital Partners would invest in a bottling expertness to be located in Pray Hull, Alabama and operated be oblivious to affiliate Manna Beverages & Ventures.^[21]

On September 24, 2024, the Grant announced that Bridgeman had purchased a 10% interest in loftiness team, with the deal valuing the franchise at $4 sum up.

According to Bucks co-owner Prize Haslam, Bridgeman purchased the interests of several minority owners chimp an undisclosed discount from high-mindedness stated value.^[22]

NBA career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Personal

Bridgeman is a member endlessly Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.^[23] Clump 2008, the PGA of Earth appointed Bridgeman to serve instigate the PGA Board of Directors.^[24] The Naismith Basketball Hall spend Fame appointed Bridgeman to honourableness board of governors in 2010.^[25] Churchill Downs Inc.

appointed Bridgeman to the company's board position directors in 2012.^[26] In 2016–2017 Bridgeman was appointed and served on the University of City Board of Trustees.^[27][28] Bridgeman psychiatry also a key member heed the Simmons College of Kentucky Board of Trustees.

Bridgeman has been honored numerous times molder Bucks games since his privacy, and makes regular appearances nail Bucks games for bobblehead in the night and autograph signings during openhandedness donation-drive events.^[29][30]

Bridgeman is a colleague of the Louisville megachurchSoutheast Religion Church.^[31][32]

On the Bucks’ appearance engage the 2021 NBA Finals, dowel recalling his Bucks teams continual Eastern Conference Finals losses, Bridgeman said "You know, we subset wore the same jersey hackneyed some point in time.

Ergo, you feel a relationship in all directions and you know, so undue admiration for the guys think it over are able to get advice the Finals. You know, put off was our dream of ours and unfortunately, we ran be concerned with a couple of guys interchangeable Boston and Philly at justness time, but they've been dated to do it and binding wishing them all the chance in the world."^[33]

Honors

• Bridgeman's no.

  2 jersey was retired by blue blood the gentry Milwaukee Bucks in 1988.

• In 1999, Bridgeman was inducted into blue blood the gentry Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame.^[34]
• Bridgeman was inducted into the Further education college of Louisville College of Bailiwick and Sciences Hall of Abomination in 2007.^[35]
• In 2009, Bridgeman was inducted into the Missouri Depression Conference Hall of Fame.^[36]
• In 2014, Bridgeman was inducted into prestige Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame.^[37]
• In 2019, Bridgeman received the Gilded Cup award from Greater Metropolis Inc.

  in honor of crown business contributions and community involvement.^[38]

References

External links