Atlanta Hawks player Kent Bazemore hosted his first-ever Uno Tournament Sunday night at the Fernbank Museum. Proceeds benefitted Bazemore’s ARMS Foundation.
It was a fun evening and Bazemore was a gracious host. Teammate Tim Hardaway Jr. also represented the Hawks. The event was part of a three-day fundraiser which included a bowling event on Saturday and a golf tournament on Monday. The proceeds from the events will go to support schools and Boys and Girls Clubs in Bazemore's native North Carolina, collegiate home Virginia and new home Georgia. The AJC's Hawks beats writer Vivlamore participated and writes about his experience:
Uno, it’s a cruel game.
I was reminded of that childhood memory during me entry – albeit very brief – in a tournament hosted by Hawks player Kent Bazemore on Sunday. The card game has become a staple of Hawks’ off-the-court activities in recent years. Bazemore shared the experience as part of a three-day fundraiser for his three-year-old ARMS Foundation.
So there I was Sunday evening in the rotunda of the Fernbank Museum seated at a table with nine other competitors, including 92.9 FM The Game’s Mike Conti and Carl Dukes and their lovely spouses. The room was filled with about 200 competitors and spectators.
At the front of the room was the grand prize. An Uno championship belt produced for Bazemore by Mattel, the manufacturer of the game. The toy giant also provided decks of Uno cards in the Hawks’ colors of volt green, torch red and granite gray and complete with the team’s feather pattern. The company produced a set for the team last year after a national article described the team’s obsession with the game. Bazemore carried the team’s well-worn set with him during the event.
Lil Ronnie (Jackson) took the seat to my right, the last available at our table. We became fast friends. Or not. The local DJ was dealt a seemingly endless supply of Skip, Reverse and Draw 4 cards – the “lay the heat” notices as referenced by Bazemore. You can read more here on ajc.com
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