Junior Bridgeman

Ulysses Lee "Junior" Bridgeman Jr. (September 17, 1953 – March 11, 2025) was an American professional basketball player and businessman. Born in East Chicago, Indiana, to Ulysses Lee Bridgeman Sr., a steel mill worker, and Delores Bridgeman, a homemaker, he attended Washington High School, where he was a member of the 1971 team that went undefeated at 29–0 and won the Indiana state high school basketball championship. His teammates included his brother Sam, Pete Trgovich, and Tim Stoddard.

A 6-foot-5-inch guard/forward, Bridgeman attended the University of Louisville and played college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals. He went on to play in the National Basketball Association for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Clippers from 1975 until 1987.

Following his playing career, Bridgeman built an extensive business operation. He owned hundreds of fast-food restaurants, became a Coca-Cola bottler and distributor, and acquired Ebony and Jet magazines. Despite never earning more than $350,000 in a season during his NBA career, he amassed a net worth of over $1.4 billion, making him one of the wealthiest former athletes in the world. Bridgeman died on March 11, 2025.