MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks are wearing patches on their jerseys for the rest of the season to honor minority owner Junior Bridgeman, a former Bucks player who died Tuesday at the age of 71.
The Bucks held a moment of silence before Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers to honor Bridgeman. A video celebrating Bridgeman’s life aired during a first-quarter timeout.
Bridgeman played for the Bucks from 1975-84 and again in 1986-87. His 711 games played for the Bucks rank third in franchise history, behind only Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. Bridgeman’s No. 2 jersey hangs from the Fiserv Forum rafters.
After his playing days, Bridgeman had even more success as a businessman. He bought a 10% stake in the Bucks last summer and was estimated as a billionaire by Forbes earlier this year.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers said Antetokounmpo told Milwaukee’s younger players about Bridgeman and his impact during the team’s flight home after its loss at Indiana on Tuesday night.
“One of the things I just keep thinking about with Junior, we have the Magics and the LeBrons – guys who have become billionaires – but a lot of that, they started with huge salaries. The norm of the league is Junior Bridgeman. The fact he could do what he did, making, I think 300 grand was the most he made, which is not bad, but it doesn’t get you a billion.”
The Lakers actually drafted Bridgeman out of Louisville with the No. 8 overall pick in 1975, but he never played a game for them. The Lakers sent him to Milwaukee as part of the package in a blockbuster trade that brought Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Los Angeles.
TOP PHOTO: Milwaukee Bucks’ Gary Trent Jr. wears an Junior Bridgeman patch during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Mar. 13, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash).