Kent Bazemore, once an undrafted free agent out of mid-major Old Dominion University, hit the contract lottery by agreeing to a four-year, $70 million contract with the Atlanta Hawks.
When you saw 6-foot-5 Kent Bazemore playing pickup basketball in the Student Recreation Center at Old Dominion University, known around campus as the “SRC,” it was a treat.
The big man on campus, the star for an ODU team with consecutive NCAA tournament bids during his time at the school, was just down to hoop with his fellow student body.
Bazemore was named the Lefty Driesell Award winner after, given to the national defensive player of the year in Division I, he had every right to pound his chest, but on days in the SRC, he was just hooping.
After his time at ODU ended, a string of underwhelming performance landed him in the NBA’s Summer League, vying for an opportunity.
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After an injury cost him a chance to prove himself with the Oklahoma City Thunder summer squad, Bazemore’s performance with the Golden State Warriors summer team earned him a contract with the team.
His season and a half were most notable for “Bazemoring” his bench-side celebrations.
During his sophomore campaign, Bazemore was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. In 23 games before a season-ending foot injury, Bazemore averaged 13.1 points and 3.1 assists.
I spoke to him in the first couple of week of his time as a Laker.
"“A lot of guys are going to cross the threshold from being the guy to just being another guy,” said Bazemore.“Keep your eye on the bigger picture. I want to be great, it don’t matter how you get there I want to be great ; go to practice, work hard, being the first in the gym. Hitting the treadmill for 15 minutes before games, you never know when you are going to be called. A guy could twist his ankle, somebody could be in a slump you have to be ready,” Bazemore also added."
The Lakers declined to pick up his option and Bazemore decided to take a deal with the Atlanta Hawks, a contract for two years and $4 million.
He got plenty of opportunities as a reserve for the Hawks during the 2014-15 season and ended up starting in the playoffs due to injuries. Per 36 minutes he averaged 10.6 points and six rebounds. Per 100 possessions his averages were 15.1 points and 8.6 rebounds.
In last season as a starter in 68 games, Bazemore averaged 11.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 27.8 minutes per game.
The NBA salary cap exploded this summer to just over $94 million due to a multibillion dollar television deal and Bazemore, a coveted “3 and d” guy, was set to cash in.
NBA press release on $94.1 million salary cap set for next season. pic.twitter.com/oSqtFymUTy
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) July 2, 2016
On Friday, Bazemore bypassed deals from the Lakers and Houston Rockets to stay with the Hawks for $70 million over four seasons.
A lot of basketball fans who quite frankly don’t know who Bazemore is were surprised by the money Bazemore garnered.
I’ll tell you who he is: a guy from Kelford, N.C., a town of just 230 people. Not highly recruited, he went to ODU and put the school on the map as one of the best mid-majors of the first decade of the new millennium, with quality NCAA tournament victories over schools such as Notre Dame.
A guy who can play basketball.
Bazemore took the challenge of just being another guy and thrived. He’s no longer just another guy, he wanted to stay in Atlanta and the Hawks made him a priority and he will be an important part of a team looking to compete with the champion Cleveland Cavaliers.
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For Bazemore, he’s no longer holding on to his proverbial string of his NBA livelihood — he believes he can be an All-Star in the NBA and he is ready to prove it.