A special 50 year reunion for one of the best University of Louisville teams in the program’s history was celebrated Saturday at the KFC Yum! Center. One of Coach Denny Crum’s favorite teams, the 1974-75 edition, which posted a 28-4 won-lost record and finished third in the NCAA Basketball Tournament.
Junior Bridgeman was among the missing at the ceremony, having passed away in March. He was a first team All-America on that team, later playing in the National Basketball Association. Bridgeman was with the Milwaukee Bucks for a decade and spent two seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers. He was as good if not better as a business leader, greatly respected for his business instincts and his generosity to many worthy causes. Among his many civic duties was serving as the Chairman of the UofL Trustees, providing a steady hand during some turbulent times in the past decade.
His widow Doris was present for the reunion, which also doubled as a ceremony to retire Bridgeman’s No. 10 jersey, which will hang over the Denny Crum Court. Also present were his sons Justin and Ryan and his daughter Eden Sklenar. Several other members were in attendance from that 1974-75 team were present as well, including assistant coach Bill Olsen, Bill Bunton, Stanley Buntin, Allen Murphy, Phillip Bond, Danny Brown, Terry Howard, and Rick Wilson.
Forbes evaluated Bridgeman’s net worth at $1.4 billion in a February article, adding that Bridgeman, Magic Johnson, LeBron James are the only NBA players to reach 10-figure financial status. Johnson recalled that Bridgeman, a 6-foot-5 small forward, had “one of the sweetest jump shots in the NBA.” Johnson also credited Bridgeman with creating a blueprint for professional athletes to achieve financial success after their playing days end.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also praised Bridgeman, calling him “the ultimate entrepreneur who built on his impactful 12-year NBA playing career by becoming a highly respected and successful business leader. He served as a mentor to generations of NBA players and athletes across sports who were eager to learn from him about what it takes to thrive in the business world.”
His business acumen led him to serve on the boards of PGA of America, Churchill Downs Inc., Fifth Third Bank, Jackson Hewitt, Governors Scholar Program, Crusade for Children Foundation, and the Louisville Arena Authority, among many others.
