Kent Bazemore
Philanthropy
ARMS FOUNDATION
In 2012, the Atlanta Hawks guard formed the ARMS Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to “promote, motivate and inspire any young child who aspires to be part of the next generation of leaders.” The acronym, which stands for "Aspiration, Resilience, Motivation, Success," is a play on the seven-foot wingspan that has helped Kent sustain his NBA career into its seventh season. “Basketball has opened so many doors,” Kent tells CloseUp360 during ARMS’ annual charity weekend this summer in Atlanta, which includes an UNO tournament and a golf outing. “I met so many people. I've been able to travel the world. It's really helped my family and it's gonna help families generations from now. Basketball has given me a position to leave a legacy and take care of those that come after me.”
Bazemore participated in the Hawks’ “Business of Basketball” event where local HBCU students from Morehouse, Spelman and Clark Atlanta learned about working in the sports industry and the business side of professional basketball.
Bazemore supported the “Hawks Holiday Hangout” event, which offered 150 local youth an exciting holiday experience at the new State Farm Arena, with activities including a special dinner, ornament decorating, basketball drills and a holiday-themed photo booth.
In partnership with Comcast Cares, Bazemore and his foundation have created STEM learning opportunities for over 1,150 students and counting by providing robotics boards for public elementary schools
In order to provide career development opportunities in technology for underserved young adults, Bazemore and his foundation provide scholarships for students from Old Dominion University, Bazemore’s alma mater, and Winston-Salem State University to attend the South by Southwest (SXSW) conference in Austin, Texas.
Bazemore partnered with Nancy Lieberman Charities and Under Armour to refurbish a community basketball court at Thomasville Recreation Center in Atlanta.