First Posted: 1/15/2009
Mark Locklear
Staff writer
PEMBROKE — Bill Bradley, the former New Jersey senator, presidential candidate and Hall of Fame basketball player, will be in Pembroke on Monday as part of the Distinguished Speaker Series at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
“We are excited about him coming here,” said Robert Cooper, director of Student Life. “A lot of people are interested in him as far as his basketball career.”
The talk will begin at 7 p.m. at the Givens Performing Arts Center.
Bradley, 63, was an Olympic gold medalist in 1964 and a professional basketball player with the New York Knicks from 1967 to 1977, during which time they won two NBA championships. In 1982 he was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Bradley served in the U.S. Senate from 1979 to 1997 representing New Jersey. In 2000, he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president, but was easily defeated by Al Gore.
“I think he brings a lot to the table,” Cooper said. “He talks about getting students involved. He reaches out to students and inspires them to work hard toward a common goal and to be engaged. He will also brings a perspective as a former senator and professional athlete.”
Cooper said he is sure Bradley will share his thoughts on the presidential race. Bradley announced in January that he is supporting Barack Obama.
Born William Warren Bradley, he was raised in Crystal City, Mo., where he began playing basketball in the fourth grade. Bradley was a star at Crystal City High School, where he amassed 3,068 points in four years and was twice-named All-American. He grew to 6 feet, 5 inches tall and went on to star at Princeton University after backing out of a commitment to Duke University. He was a three-time All-American at Princeton and named National Player of the Year in 1965.
Bradley earned a degree in American History from Princeton University and a master’s degree from Oxford University, where was a Rhodes Scholar. He has authored six books on American politics, culture and economy.
Following his basketball career, Bradley served as a senior advisor and vice chairman of the International Council of JP Morgan and Company from 1997 to 1999. During that time, he also worked as an essayist for The CBS Evening News and was a visiting professor at Stanford University, Notre Dame University and the University of Maryland.
Bradley was the chief outside advisor to McKinsey and Company’s nonprofit practice from 2001 to 2004. Currently, he is the managing director of Allen and Company. He also hosts “American Voices,” a weekly show on Sirius Satellite Radio that highlights the remarkable accomplishments of Americans, both famous and unknown.
Bradley and his wife, Ernestine, live in Verona, N.J.
The 2007-2008 Distinguished Speaker Series concludes with Academy Award Winner Vanessa Williams on March 25.