Kent Bazemore is one of the NBA’s most wholesome figures
The Atlanta Hawks shooting guard is well-documented for his time on the court, but it’s off the court where he shines the brightest.
Now entering his 7th season in the league, Kent Bazemore has two more years left on his contract with a player option for the 2019-20 season to boot. Although the Hawks are seeking to take the next two years to rebuild, Bazemore will look to continue solidifying his relationship with Dennis Schröder and the rest of the young Hawks’ core.
Much will be made of his performances on the court over the next couple of years, with a pressure to put up career numbers and to serve as a mentor and a voice of reason. What people don’t always get to see though is his persona off the court. A humble kid from Kelford, North Carolina now on the big stage representing Atlanta.
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And this isn’t anything new for the Hawks #24, as the stories follow him back all the way to his NBA origins. Originally undrafted in 2012 out of Old Dominion University, he found an early home with the Golden State Warriors. His sponsorship with Under Armour and fruitful relationship with fellow teammate Steph Curry set him into a favorable position with the company. He was instrumental in their signing of the two-time MVP and has since seen the benefits.
He now has a deal worth six-figures with the company and Under Armour also has an apparel deal with his alma mater. Naturally, Bazemore himself used his unusually large deal to provide funding for Old Dominican’s practice facility for their basketball team. He pays homage to his deal through the picture set as his header on Twitter: @24Bazemore.
https://twitter.com/ATLHawks/status/892803175471878144
Kent Bazemore serves as one of the premier representatives for the Atlanta community, actively pursuing an involvement in support of the Hawks’ programs as well as that of Atlanta’s WNBA team, the Atlanta Dream. His availability to sign autographs, make surprise appearances at events, and start a dialogue with Hawk fans separates him as one of the NBA’s truly relatable celebrities.
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There’s no doubt that Kent Bazemore would do well for himself had he decided to put his degree in Human Services and Criminal Justice to good use, but Hawk fans should be glad that he has a pretty good jump shot. It’s one thing for a team to have a star player, but the effect is only compounded when that player serves as a pillar of the community like Bazemore does.