Story by KL Chouinard Twitter: @KLChouinard
Kent Bazemore has a history of earnest expressions of joy.
The first was 'Bazemoring'. After going undrafted in the 2012 NBA Draft, Bazemore eked out a roster spot with the Golden State Warriors. Playing behind Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes, Bazemore mostly had to wait his turn from the sideline, but that didn't stop him from reveling in the exploits of his teammates.
"The whole Bazemoreing thing my rookie year. I never planned that," Bazemore said.
Bazemore brought his positive energy to the Hawks when he signed with Atlanta as a free agent in 2014. And as they did with the Warriors a couple of years earlier, the enthusiastic sideline celebrations caught on with his teammates, who had plenty to root for in the Hawks' 60-win season.
Last season when the Hawks won 12 of their 16 games in the month of March, Bazemore added the 'Baze Gaze', a smiling, chin-dipped, photo bomb of teammates as they conducting postgame TV interviews. Will the Baze Gaze live on for 2016-17? Even Bazemore does not know what emotions will flow naturally from within him.
"It's not something that's choreographed. It's something that just up and happens. I don't really plan for it," he said. "The Baze Gaze is something that I started doing with Dennis (Schröder) and it took off. We'll see."
For the celebrations to exist, there first has to be good basketball. For good basketball to exist, there first has to be behind-the-scenes preparation, and that prep work is nothing new to a player who now thrives despite once being ranked as the 499th-best player in a league with 450 jobs. Contrast that with now, when Bazemore routinely gets ranked among the NBA's best. Bazemore said that his recent successes have done nothing to quench his desire to get better.
"It isn't a moment for me to kick my feet up or relax in the slightest," he said. "I've been in the weight room a ton. Having the summer I just had just motivated me even more. For me, the additional responsibility really heightens my senses and my focus. I really want to succeed. The only thing that I've changed is that I have a lot more motivation."
During the summer offseason, Bazemore got engaged to be married, and his desire to be great includes the hardwood but also spills well beyond it.
"I'm preparing myself to be a husband," he said. "I'm trying to be the best president of my foundation that I can be, as well as one day hopefully calling myself a champion. Across the board, it is what you want and what you ask for. To whom much is given, much is required."
Bazemore takes the long view (like a really, really long view) when putting the blessings of his life in perspective.
"You can leave a legacy that your great-great-great grandkids can say, 'Hey, I had a great-great-great granddad who really paved the way for me.'