Junior Bridgeman Dead At 71 After Medical Emergency

Former NBA player and billionaire businessman Junior Bridgeman has passed away at 71 years old after suffering a medical emergency at a public event on Tuesday.

The Louisville great was participating in an interview at a benefit luncheon for the Lincoln Heritage Council, Scouting America at the Galt House Hotel when it occurred, according to WLKY.

During the Q&A, Bridgeman told reporter Kent Taylor he thought he was having a heart attack.

The outlet said Bridgeman was taken away from the scene in an ambulance.

Later Tuesday afternoon, the the Al J. Schneider Company -- which owns the hotel -- released a statement confirming Bridgeman's death.

"Junior Bridgeman was an integral part of our community," chief marketing officer Lance George said. "From his athletic impact to his philanthropic efforts, he will be deeply missed."

Bridgeman was a standout player at the University of Louisville ... earning All-American honors before the Los Angeles Lakers selected him with the No. 8 pick in the 1975 NBA Draft.

He was ultimately traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in a deal involving Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ... and played the majority of his career with the organization.

The franchise retired his number in 1988.

Bridgeman was known to thrive in the sixth-man role on the court, but he had massive financial success after his professional basketball career ... investing in fast food chains and becoming a bottler for Coca Cola.

He also bought the Ebony and Jet publications in 2020 ... and purchased a piece of the Bucks this past September.