Ex-Bucks Player Junior Bridgeman to Buy 10% Ownership Stake

Former Milwaukee Bucks forward/guard Junior Bridgeman is buying a 10% ownership stake in the NBA franchise, according to CNBC’s Michael Ozanian and Jessica Golden.

Former Milwaukee Bucks star Junior Bridgeman is receiving a preferred limited partner discount of 15%

NBA owners will be notified of the sale in a memo Thursday, added other sources. Per multiple reports, the sources asked to remain anonymous because the full details have not yet been made public.

Bridgeman, the current owner of Ebony and Jet magazines, is getting a preferred limited partner discount of 15%, or a $3.4 billion valuation, to buy a portion of the team. The deal reportedly values the Bucks at $4 billion.

NBA's richest players looks like this:

▪️ MJ
▪️ Magic
▪️ Lebron
▪️ Junior Bridgeman

Many of you don't know the 4th name, he averaged 13 ppg and was never an All-Star…

He now has a net worth of $600M and is the Bucks newest owner

This is the story of Junior Bridgeman ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Btm6nA4xSy

— Frank Michael Smith (@frankmikesmith) September 12, 2024

In April 2023, Marc Lasry sold his 25% stake in the Bucks to the billionaire Haslam family. Back then, the team was valued at approximately $3.2 billion. Bridgeman’s discount highlights the value difference of $800,000.

According to a recent profile by ESPN’s Baxter Holmes, the East Chicago native has a net worth of nearly $600 million. His other business deals include Wendy’s and Chili’s restaurants, along with Heartland Coca-Cola.

In 2016, Forbes ranked Bridgeman the fourth-wealthiest retired athlete in the world, with an estimated income of $32 million. He was behind only Michael Jordan, David Beckham and Arnold Palmer.

Bridgeman played 10 NBA seasons with Milwaukee from 1975 to 1984 and returned for one last campaign in 1986-87

Bridgeman, who turns 71 on Sept. 17, started and ended his NBA career with the Bucks. He played 10 seasons (1975 to 1984 and 1986-87 season) with Milwaukee and spent 12 seasons (1975 to 1987) in the NBA.

As a 6-foot-5 forward/guard, he was selected eighth overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1975 draft out of Louisville. He was then sent to Milwaukee as part of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar trade.

In 849 career NBA regular-season games (52 starts), he averaged 13.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 25 minutes per contest. He also shot 47.5% from the field and 84.6% at the free throw line.

After nine consecutive seasons with the Bucks, the team traded him to the Los Angeles Clippers in 1984. Bridgeman returned to Milwaukee before the 1986-87 season, which would be his last. Following the season, he retired having played 711 games for the franchise.

That was the all-time record until Giannis Antetokounmpo surpassed it in 2023. Bridgeman’s 711 games now ranks No. 3 on the list, as Khris Middleton has played 712 games for the Bucks.

Bridgeman’s No. 2 jersey was retired by the Bucks in 1988.