50 Sports Greats Who Died In 2025: NBA Star & Bucks Owner Junior Bridgeman Died At 71

Junior Bridgeman (Image: University of Kentucky)

On March 11, University of Louisville Athletics Hall of Famer Junior Bridgeman died from a heart attack.

Bridgeman, 71, was at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, when he reportedly said he felt like he was having a heart attack. He collapsed shortly after, and emergency personnel responded right away.

Unfortunately, he was pronounced dead shortly after.

>50 SPORTS GREATS WHO DIED IN 2025 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

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NBA legend Magic Johnson shared his condolences on X.

“But it was his character, his kindness, and his gentle soul that truly left a lasting impression on me,” Johnson said. “He was one of the nicest guys you would ever want to meet.

Bridgeman played his collegiate basketball at the University of Louisville. There, he was a two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, named an All-American, and helped lead the team to the Final Four.

He entered the 1975 NBA Draft and was selected No. 8 by the Los Angeles Lakers. He was traded shortly after to the Milwaukee Bucks, in a blockbuster trade that sent Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the Lakers.

Bridgeman played 12 seasons in the NBA, carving out a role as a sixth man for most of his career. Many believe that if the Sixth Man of the Year Award were around, Bridgeman would have won it.

In 1988, the Bucks retired Bridgeman’s No. 2 jersey in honor of his productive contributions to the franchise. Bridgeman became an owner of the Bucks and Ebony magazine.