Bucks welcome Junior Bridgeman to ownership team

It is a homecoming of sorts for former Bucks player Junior Bridgeman.

On Thursday, the team announced that he has purchased a 10% stake in the franchise.

On the court, Junior Bridgeman was known as a small forward for ten seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks. Off the court, he became a prominent businessman, culminating in the Bucks' big announcement.

"This is a spectacular basketball player, businessman, and person who is now going to become a key owner of the Milwaukee Bucks," said Jimmy Haslam, co-owner of the team.

Bridgeman now owns 10% of a team estimated to have a value of $4 billion. Not bad after a career where he made $350,000 in his final season, but Bridgeman knew he would have to find work after playing sports.

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The journey to ownership started with turning a basketball career into selling burgers. He began with Wendy's franchises in Milwaukee, where he employed a team effort.

"I was handing the bags out the window and flipping the burgers," said Bridgeman. "I did all of that because it was important to me, and it became important to the employees, and that is how we grew."

Watch: Bucks welcome Junior Bridgeman to ownership team

And grow he did, becoming one of the largest Wendy's franchise owners in the country and later expanding to other fast-food chains.

It all worked out despite a funny observation from a former player.

"Who once told Junior Bridgeman, 'No one would buy square hamburgers?'" recalled former Bucks broadcaster Jim Paschke.

"Did you really think square burgers were going to sell?" asked Charles Benson.

"I thought they had the best hamburgers," said Bridgeman.

And the Bucks believe they have the best person to round out their ownership.

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"It just seemed like a natural thing for me to get a chance to be part—not just in my heart, but physically—with the organization going forward," said Bridgeman.

"There are only two other players who have worn a Bucks jersey more than Junior: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. But Bridgeman is the first former Bucks player to have part ownership in the team.

Bridgeman joins a Bucks ownership group that includes Haslam, Wes Edens, Jamie Dinan, and Mike Fascitelli. He becomes part of the ownership group less than two weeks before the team's first preseason game. Milwaukee plays the Detroit Pistons on Oct. 6.