Bazemore is a hashtag (#BazeGaze) - again

Which Hawks player hasn’t been a victim of the Baze Gaze?

Kent Bazemore is once again trending – #BazeGaze – for his background stare during postgame interviews of his teammates. Dennis Schroder, Jeff Teague, Paul Millsap, Al Horford are just a few to be recently enshrined into the club after a Hawks’ victory. Heck, the forward has been known to look into the camera, drop is head, raise his eyes and announce his presence even during his own interview.

“Just being original,” Bazemore said of his antics. “All this stuff, I never know what entices me to do it. It just happens and I run with it.”

Hawks fans have run with it too. They have created the hashtag and posted on social media the television clips of the latest stare. Bazemore said he is now asked to do the stare when taking pictures with fans.

“People in Atlanta are creative,” Bazemore said. “They came up with the hashtag. They are looking for it now. It’s for them I do it. It’s always a good time. I guess I have to have something going on, right? The fans, I’m glad they see that part of me and the game. We’re human. We love to have fun.”

This is not Bazemore’s first encounter with a rapidly growing fad. With the Warriors as a rookie, ‘Bazemoring’ become a fan favorite and internet sensation. Bazemore would strike poses from the bench after particularly good plays from teammates. A hashtag was born. T-shirts were made. The poses were included on the NBA 2K14 video game.

His Hawks teammates don’t seem to mind the photobomb.

“It’s fun,” Horford said. “He’s having a good time with it. He’s setting trends. It’s not like he’s touching me or pouring water on me so I don’t mind.”

Now, there is strategy involved since everyone knows what is ahead when they get selected for on-court questions moments after a victory. Schroder has even joined in a times for twice the fun.

“If they see me back there they said ‘Get out of here,’” Bazemore said. “They know it’s coming so you have to pick your spots at the beginning or the end (of the interview).