Former Senator Bill Bradley's Portrait Unveiled At Princeton U.

PRINCETON, NJ — Princeton University unveiled the portrait of Knicks player and ex-U.S. Senator from New Jersey, Bill Bradley, on Sept. 9.

Bradley, a Princeton University alum, is the University’s all-time leading scorer in basketball, who went on to win an Olympic gold medal in 1964.

“With this portrait, Senator Bradley will be remembered, not just by those on campus today, but by generations of Princetonians for many decades to come," University President Christopher L. Eisgruber said during the unveiling ceremony.

"His legacy at Princeton, and his contributions to the nation and to humanity, will endure. We are forever grateful for the enormous impact that Bill has made throughout his career … and for the inspiration he has been to so many of us.”

New York artist Burton Silverman painted Bradley's portrait, which will permanently hang in First Campus Center.

Bradley was accompanied by family, friends and colleagues. He recounted turning down 75 basketball scholarships before originally choosing Duke University and then changing his mind to attend Princeton. At the University, he played for coach Willem Hendrik “Butch” Van Breda Kolff.

“That decision changed my life in fundamental ways,” Bradley said during the ceremony. “First it brought me to New Jersey, which I had the honor of representing for 18 years. It introduced me to the life of the mind. … And by chance, it gave me a college coach with whom I was totally in sync about how basketball should be played. And most importantly, friends, so many friends — many of whom are here today.”

Before leaving the podium, Bradley announced that his U.S. Senate papers will be open for researchers effective immediately.

The Princeton University Library acquired the Bill Bradley papers - a collection of documents and records chronicling his Senate career, in 2018. They were slated to be sealed until 2032.

Bradley's portrait was commissioned as part of the University’s broader effort to expand its portrait collection to reflect its diversity and history.

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