Weeks after the death of the late Junior Bridgeman , Charles Barkley shared some interesting details about him. Drafted by the Lakers in 1975, Junior Bridgeman had a career spanning four decades during which he built a nine-figure, multinational empire. He started as a sixth man and went on to become one of the wealthiest players in the NBA. Bridgeman became the fourth basketball player to become a billionaire after Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Magic Johnson.
Although he was the last among these four to reach a 10-figure fortune, Charles Barkley recently said that Bridgeman's journey is perhaps the most impressive because he did not earn the superstar-level salaries like the others.
Charles Barkley shares how the late Junior Bridgeman approached retirement from NBA differently
Weeks after the death of the late Junior Bridgeman, Charles Barkley shared some interesting details about him. Drafted by the Lakers in 1975, Junior Bridgeman had a career spanning four decades during which he built a nine-figure, multinational empire. He started as a sixth man and went on to become one of the wealthiest players in the NBA. Bridgeman became the fourth basketball player to become a billionaire after Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Magic Johnson.
Although he was the last among these four to reach a 10-figure fortune, Charles Barkley recently said that Bridgeman's journey is perhaps the most impressive because he did not earn the superstar-level salaries like the others.
"What makes Junior's story so amazing, he only made $3 million in the NBA, and obviously, you know, after taxes, that's 50 per cent of that. But for him to turn that, from just business acumen, for him to turn $3 million before taxes to $1.4 billion, that means he's a tremendous businessman," explained Barkley on the "OutKick Show."
Bridgeman played 12 NBA seasons, mainly with the Milwaukee Bucks, earning an estimated total of $2.95 million, with no single season exceeding $350,000. Barkley also pointed out an interesting wish when he said that he wished NBA had collaborated more with Bridgeman to educate current players on managing their finances.
Following his basketball career, Bridgeman built a successful fast-food empire, which at its height included over 450 franchise locations across brands like Wendy’s, Chili’s, Fazoli’s, and Blaze Pizza. He eventually sold most of these restaurants to become a Coca-Cola bottling distributor serving three states and parts of Canada.
Bridgeman also invested in media, acquiring Ebony and Jet magazines, and also invested in NBA Africa. A few months before his passing, he became a minority owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, holding a 10% stake in the team he once played for. Just a month before he passed away, a popular lifestyle platform confirmed his billionaire status.
Barkley also revealed he wants to make a documentary on Bridgeman which could inspire not just athletes but also regular people
"I really want to do a documentary on his life so I can teach these young kids how to handle their money," added Chuck. "I think it'd be awesome, not just basketball players but regular people out there should learn that you don't need to make $100 million to be successful. If you make good business decisions, and you're smart like Junior was, I think it can be a learning experience for players and people in general."
Although he was the last among these four to reach a 10-figure fortune, Charles Barkley recently said that Bridgeman's journey is perhaps the most impressive because he did not earn the superstar-level salaries like the others.
Charles Barkley shares how the late Junior Bridgeman approached retirement from NBA differently
Weeks after the death of the late Junior Bridgeman, Charles Barkley shared some interesting details about him. Drafted by the Lakers in 1975, Junior Bridgeman had a career spanning four decades during which he built a nine-figure, multinational empire. He started as a sixth man and went on to become one of the wealthiest players in the NBA. Bridgeman became the fourth basketball player to become a billionaire after Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Magic Johnson.
Although he was the last among these four to reach a 10-figure fortune, Charles Barkley recently said that Bridgeman's journey is perhaps the most impressive because he did not earn the superstar-level salaries like the others.
“Junior Bridgeman to me is one of the greatest stories ever.” - Charles Barkley pic.twitter.com/UeyQtiyFd7
— Club Shay Shay (@ClubShayShay) May 6, 2024
"What makes Junior's story so amazing, he only made $3 million in the NBA, and obviously, you know, after taxes, that's 50 per cent of that. But for him to turn that, from just business acumen, for him to turn $3 million before taxes to $1.4 billion, that means he's a tremendous businessman," explained Barkley on the "OutKick Show."
Bridgeman played 12 NBA seasons, mainly with the Milwaukee Bucks, earning an estimated total of $2.95 million, with no single season exceeding $350,000. Barkley also pointed out an interesting wish when he said that he wished NBA had collaborated more with Bridgeman to educate current players on managing their finances.
Following his basketball career, Bridgeman built a successful fast-food empire, which at its height included over 450 franchise locations across brands like Wendy’s, Chili’s, Fazoli’s, and Blaze Pizza. He eventually sold most of these restaurants to become a Coca-Cola bottling distributor serving three states and parts of Canada.
Bridgeman also invested in media, acquiring Ebony and Jet magazines, and also invested in NBA Africa. A few months before his passing, he became a minority owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, holding a 10% stake in the team he once played for. Just a month before he passed away, a popular lifestyle platform confirmed his billionaire status.
Barkley also revealed he wants to make a documentary on Bridgeman which could inspire not just athletes but also regular people
"I really want to do a documentary on his life so I can teach these young kids how to handle their money," added Chuck. "I think it'd be awesome, not just basketball players but regular people out there should learn that you don't need to make $100 million to be successful. If you make good business decisions, and you're smart like Junior was, I think it can be a learning experience for players and people in general."
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