Last Updated on July 26, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Energy can change the feel of a game long before it appears in the box score, and Kent Bazemore built his minutes around that principle with active hands, hard closeouts, and constant movement. Whether sprinting the wings in transition, chasing shooters through screens, or cutting behind a sleeping defender, he brought a level of urgency that often lifted the pace of everyone around him.

Here is detailed information about Kent Bazemore:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Kenneth Lamont Bazemore Jr.
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Born on July 1, 1989
  • Hometown: Kelford, North Carolina, USA
  • Height: 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 meters)
  • Weight: 195 pounds (88 kg)
  • Wingspan: 6 feet 11 inches (2.11 meters)
  • Shoe Size: Size 14 (US)
  • Number: Wore 24, 26, 20, and 9 during his career
  • Position: Shooting Guard / Small Forward
  • High School: Bertie High School (Windsor, North Carolina)
  • College: Old Dominion University (2007–2012)
    • Lefty Driesell Award Winner (2011) for the nation’s top defensive player
  • NBA Draft: Undrafted in 2012 NBA Draft
  • Teams Played For:
    • NBA:
      • Golden State Warriors (2012–2014, 2020–2021)
      • Los Angeles Lakers (2014, 2021–2022)
      • Atlanta Hawks (2014–2019)
      • Portland Trail Blazers (2019–2020)
      • Sacramento Kings (2020)
    • G League:
      • Santa Cruz Warriors
  • Championship Rings: Kent Bazemore has not won any NBA championships.
  • Kids: Kent Bazemore has two children, a son and a daughter.
  • Siblings: Kent Bazemore has one brother, WyKevin Bazemore, who also played basketball at Winston-Salem State University.

Player Archetype / Play Style

Kent Bazemore’s player archetype was a classic 3-and-D wing, an energetic perimeter role player who brought on-ball pressure, transition juice, and enough spot-up shooting to fit next to higher-usage scorers. Defensively, he worked as an aggressive wing stopper and disruptive helper, using his length, motor, and lateral quickness to bother ball-handlers, jump passing lanes, and defend either guard spot while also spending time on small forwards. Offensively, Bazemore was most useful as a floor spacer, straight-line driver, and secondary transition threat rather than a primary creator, thriving when he could attack closeouts, cut into open space, and keep the ball moving. Physically, he had good NBA wing size at about 6-foot-4 to 6-foot-5 with a lean, athletic frame, long arms, and the kind of burst that made him play bigger and faster than his listed build suggested. His overall play style blended defensive intensity, connective offense, and occasional chaos, which made him valuable when deployed as a high-energy complementary wing instead of being asked to carry an offense. (NBA)

Scouting Report

Kent Bazemore always looked like he wanted to speed the game up, even in possessions where everyone else was happy to play at half-court pace. That’s what made him effective and, occasionally, frustrating. He was constantly looking for opportunities to turn defence into offence, jumping passing lanes, sprinting the wings in transition or attacking before the defence had completely matched up. In the half court, he was most comfortable as a secondary attacker. He could punish an aggressive closeout with one or two explosive dribbles, finish above the rim when the lane opened, or drive deep enough to force the low man across before kicking the ball to the opposite corner. He wasn’t manipulating entire defensive schemes with advanced pick-and-roll reads, but he recognised obvious rotations quickly and generally kept the ball moving. Defensively, Bazemore’s activity was his calling card. He chased shooters through off-ball screens, recovered with surprising speed after being beaten initially and used his long reach to bother ball handlers without needing to crowd them. What stands out, though, is that his eagerness sometimes worked against him. He would gamble for a deflection that wasn’t really available or overhelp one pass too early, creating openings behind him that disciplined offences were happy to exploit. The trade-off was clear: the same aggression that generated momentum-changing steals also produced avoidable breakdowns. To me, Bazemore fit best on teams with established offensive creators where he could focus on defending the toughest perimeter assignment, filling transition lanes and attacking defensive rotations instead of initiating them. His value grew when his decisions became immediate—catch and shoot, catch and drive, or swing the ball without hesitation. It’s easy to overlook how much pressure his constant movement placed on opponents over the course of a game, particularly after misses when he was already racing down the floor before others had turned to run. His game shared similarities with Corey Brewer in the disruptive defence and transition scoring that could change a game’s tempo in a hurry, while there were also shades of Wesley Johnson, particularly in the combination of length, athleticism and complementary wing play, though Bazemore was the more assertive ball handler and generally the more willing playmaker.

Fun Facts

  • Known for his defensive ability, athleticism, and energy on the court.
  • Played a key role as a 3-and-D player for several teams, particularly with the Atlanta Hawks.
  • Bazemore is also well known for his enthusiastic celebrations on the bench during his early career with the Golden State Warriors, which earned him a strong fan following.
  • Off the court, he is involved in charitable work through the ARMS Foundation, focusing on youth development and education.

Sources:
NBA.com — From Undrafted To Unmistaken: The Story of Kent Bazemore’s Rise
Blazer’s Edge — Kent Bazemore Brings Shooting, Perimeter Defense to the Blazers
San Francisco Chronicle — Kent Bazemore: How 3-and-D wing became one of Warriors’ most important role players
Basketball-Reference — Kent Bazemore Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more
SBNation — Kent Bazemore agrees to a 4-year, $70 million deal with the Hawks