Junior Bridgeman

Junior Bridgeman's basketball legacy is inseparable from Milwaukee — he is the franchise's all-time loyalty story, a Bucks player for 11 of his 12 NBA seasons who became the franchise's career games played leader and one of its most decorated ambassadors. Traded to Milwaukee on draft night in 1975 from the Lakers as part of the Kareem deal, Bridgeman built his entire identity in Wisconsin and became one of the NBA's most consistent scorers off the bench during the late 1970s and 1980s. He averaged 13.6 points per game across his Bucks career, was twice named Sixth Man of the Year candidate, and brought a professional excellence to the second unit that helped Milwaukee compete in the Moncrief era. After retirement, Bridgeman became one of professional sports' most successful businessman-athletes: he built a Wendy's and Chili's franchise empire that grew to over 450 restaurants and made him one of the wealthiest former NBA players in history. His #2 retirement honors both the basketball contribution and the model of excellence extending beyond the game.