June 2013 - Black Sports The Magazine

Junior Bridgeman:
One Who Solidified the Bridge Between
Pro Athletics & the Business World
By Bill Oxford
One of the most successful African-Americans in the United States, Ulysses Lee “Junior” Bridgeman
early in life?
From a humble upbringing in
the heart of the Midwest and
amongst a diverse community
with parents who truly had his
best interest in mind, Junior
Bridgeman has made a name
for himself in a major way. He
grew up in a blue collar
community, and was exposed
to what true work ethic and
discipline really meant. It didn’t
take long for basketball
coaches to take heed to Mr.
Bridgeman’s skill set on the
court, but what they couldn’t
foresee is Junior’s desire to
aid the communities he could
touch. Personal character
and professional ambition
are not lacking in any way
shape or form in Mr.
Bridgeman’s vocabulary. He
knows what it’s like to make
something from nothing, and
has taken that ability from the
basketball court into the
business world. Bridgeman
Foods, LLC is Junior’s
extremely successful 25 year
old business brainchild, but
that’s not the only thing that
motivates Mr. Bridgeman.
There’s so much more to this
athlete turned business guru, this article can only scratch the
surface, but it’s definitely a story today’s athletes will want to
learn from. From childhood to the high school gyms, to the NBA
and onto conquering the business realm; Junior Bridgeman
takes the world by storm!
Describe one your fondest moments growing up.
We grew up in an area where pretty much everybody worked at
the steel mills. The three most important things for us growing
up were going to church, getting an education and if you went out
for any athletic team and made the team, even if you never had
much of a chance to play, you never quit. It’s hard to pick one
moment, because it was just a good time and a good place to
grow up in. As a kid, it’s beneficial to grow up around a variety of
people. We had people in our community of Mexican descent,
Puerto Rican, Serbian, Croatian, Italian, even Greek, because
people from all over found work in the mills. It wasn’t until I went
away to college and met people from all walks of life that I was
truly able to appreciate my childhood.
Who do you feel served as the best positive influence on you
30 BSTM June 2013
Without a doubt that would be
my parents. I was fortunate
enough to live in a two-parent
household, and they were the
ones that laid the foundation
and guidelines, and made
sure you’d understand why
certain things are done the
way they are. I learned the
difference between right and
wrong, also realizing what’s
really important in life.
Describe one of your
fondest moments in the NBA
aside from getting drafted?
After playing 12 years in the
league, it would have to be the
retirement ceremony when
they retired my jersey and
raised it up into the rafters of
the Milwaukee Bucks arena
(Bradley Center), because I
spent most of my career as a
sixth man coming off the
bench. Even though we
didn’t win a championship
during my years in the
league, the franchise retired
my jersey based off my
contribution to the team and to the surrounding communities.
You made mention of serving the community, so I ask how
have you done so?
I’d participate as a team member in summer basketball camps
for the kids, and we’d pass out school supplies more so than
just tee-shirts and basketballs. We wanted to emphasize the
importance of education over sports. I also got involved in the
Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer. After all those
events, charitable outings and speaking engagements at high
schools and elementary schools, I think the people appreciate
the assistance off the court more than the gutsy play on the
court.
You were drafted in 1975, so I’m wondering what was the
typical NBA rookie salary?
David Thompson was drafted #1, and if I recall correctly, he
made $350-370k a year. If you got drafted with the 8 th pick like I
was, you’d make 100-150k a year.