Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups began his pregame media session Wednesday, offering condolences to the family of Junior Bridgeman, the former NBA player and entrepreneur who died Tuesday at age 71.
“It’s a tremendous loss for a lot of people, including me,” Billups said before the Blazers hosted the New York Knicks at the Moda Center. “He was a mentor to me. A confidant. A business partner ... It’s been a tough day and a half. We lost an incredible, incredible human being.”
Bridgeman was an All-American at Lousiville, where he played for their 1975 Final Four team. The Los Angeles Lakers selected him at No. 8 during the 1975 draft, but he was traded to Milwaukee in the deal that brought Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the Lakers.
Post-NBA days
Former Milwaukee Bucks player Junior Bridgeman talks to the media before an NBA basketball game between the Bucks and Brooklyn Nets on March 1, 2014. (AP/Jeffrey Phelps)AP/Jeffrey Phelps
In 12 seasons, 10 with the Bucks and two with the LA Clippers, Bridgeman averaged 13.6 points and 3.5 rebounds. He was widely considered one of the best sixth men in the NBA.
After his playing days, Bridgemen became a successful businessman. Earlier this year, Forbes estimated his net worth to be roughly $1.4 billion.
Bridgeman reportedly owned 450 Wendy’s and Chili’s restaurants in 20 states. He also owned Jet and Ebony magazines and bought a stake in the Bucks’ franchise.
Billups said he first met Bridgeman while playing for the Denver Nuggets from 2008-2011. Bridgeman spoke to the Nuggets about navigating the business world.
Billups spent the next few summers learning the business world from Bridgeman. The two went on to become business partners.
Billups said he co-owned 33 Wendy’s restaurants with Bridgeman in the St. Louis, Missouri market, among other businesses.
“He just became one of my closest friends and mentors over the years,” Billups said. “Just learning so much from him. Every important decision that I went into, coaching or anything, I talked to him first and got his thoughts. That’s just how I felt about him. So, it was obviously a crushing day yesterday.”
Billups said one of the best pieces of advice Bridgeman ever gave him was to judge people by when they are at their best.
“One thing I would say about Junior is that he always saw the best in everybody,” Billups said. “He judged you that way. He gave so much grace.”
-- Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.com | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook)