Kent Bazemore

Kent Bazemore
Name	Kent Bazemore
Position	Shooting guard / Small forward
Weight lb	210
League	NBA
Birth date	January 1, 1989
Birth place	Kelford, North Carolina, United States
College	Old Dominion University
Draft year	2012
Draft round	Undrafted
Career start	2012
Years1	2012–2016
Team1	Los Angeles Lakers / Golden State Warriors / Los Angeles Lakers
Years2	2016–2019
Team2	Atlanta Hawks
Years3	2019–2021
Team3	Portland Trail Blazers
Years4	2021–2023
Team4	Sacramento Kings / Golden State Warriors

Kent Bazemore is an American professional basketball player known for his defensive tenacity, perimeter shooting, and energetic play on both ends of the floor. He rose from a small high school program in North Carolina to become an NBA starter and veteran, noted for his work ethic, community involvement, and role as a team defender and wing shooter. Over a decade in the NBA, Bazemore played for multiple franchises and became a recognizable figure in the league and his home region.

Early life and high school

Bazemore was born in Kelford, North Carolina, and attended Bertie High School in Windsor, where he played under local coaches and drew interest from regional programs such as Old Dominion and nearby institutions. In high school he competed against athletes who later appeared at Duke, North Carolina, Virginia, Syracuse and Kansas prep prospects, and participated in circuits connected to AAU programs and showcases that also featured prospects bound for Connecticut, Kentucky, Florida and Michigan State. His performance in state tournaments and regional camps brought attention from coaches affiliated with Conference USA and Colonial Athletic Association programs, culminating in a scholarship offer from Old Dominion.

College career

At Old Dominion University, Bazemore played for the Monarchs under coaches who developed guards and wings like those from VMI, George Mason, VCU and Wichita State. Over his collegiate tenure Bazemore improved his perimeter shooting, defensive footwork, and playmaking, registering statistics that attracted NBA summer-league attention alongside players from Ohio State, UCLA, Michigan and Texas. He competed in matchups against programs and future professionals associated with Maryland, Louisville, West Virginia and Temple. Bazemore declared for the 2012 NBA Draft, joining prospects whose collegiate affiliations included Kansas State, Clemson, Indiana and Gonzaga.

Professional career

Undrafted in 2012, Bazemore joined NBA summer-league rosters and training camps linked to franchises such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings. Early in his career he spent time with NBA Development League affiliates tied to organizations like the Santa Cruz Warriors and competed in contexts featuring players from Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder. Bazemore signed with the Los Angeles Lakers and later joined the Golden State Warriors before establishing himself with the Atlanta Hawks as a starting wing and key perimeter defender. In Atlanta he played under coaches connected to the lineage of Mike Budenholzer and shared the floor with veterans associated with Paul Millsap, Al Horford, Jeff Teague and Trae Young-era personnel. Bazemore later joined the Portland Trail Blazers and provided veteran depth alongside players linked to Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum and staff with ties to Terry Stotts. Short stints with the Sacramento Kings and return engagements with the Golden State Warriors extended his career into the 2020s, during which he contributed in rotations alongside athletes from Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis rosters. Across seasons he appeared in regular-season and playoff games against teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks.

Playing style and skills

Bazemore's game combined perimeter shooting, defensive intensity, and hustle play similar to wings who carved NBA careers with specialization, comparable to contemporaries who played for Spurs coaching trees and defensive systems used by Rick Carlisle and Tom Thibodeau. He defended wing assignments against stars from LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler and Jayson Tatum lineups, and rotated within schemes featuring switching principles employed by teams associated with Steve Kerr, Gregg Popovich and Erik Spoelstra. Offensively Bazemore stretched defenses with three-point attempts and spot-up shooting in sets paralleling spacing strategies of Mike D'Antoni-influenced offenses; his role often matched perimeter specialists who supplemented primary scorers such as Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. His athleticism enabled fastbreak finishing and defensive rebounding when matched against wings from Khris Middleton, Paul George, Brandon Ingram and Jaylen Brown.

Personal life

Bazemore's personal connections include family ties in North Carolina and associations with athletes and personalities from Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, California and Oregon. He has been linked socially and professionally to peers from Old Dominion University, teammates from the Atlanta Hawks era and players represented by agencies connected to figures who have worked with LeBron James-era advisors and general managers from franchises such as Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers. Off the court he has appeared in community events alongside civic leaders from Windsor, North Carolina, charitable boards with affiliations to organizations in Atlanta, Georgia and educational initiatives that included partnerships with regional schools in Bertie County, North Carolina and local athletic programs.

Philanthropy and community involvement

Bazemore has been active in philanthropic work and community outreach through programs in his hometown and NBA cities, collaborating with foundations and events that included appearances with athletes and celebrities associated with NBA Cares, youth clinics linked to USA Basketball development efforts, charity games featuring alumni from College Basketball programs and fundraisers in partnership with civic groups from Atlanta, Portland, Sacramento and Oakland. His initiatives have focused on youth mentoring, basketball camps, scholarship fundraising and community development efforts that brought together participants from regional institutions such as Old Dominion University and nearby school districts.

Category:Living people Category:1989 births Category:Basketball players from North Carolina Category:Old Dominion Monarchs men's basketball players Category:American men's basketball players