He even had to learn how to best utilize Microsoft Outlook to manage emails and how to accept a calendar invite for his busy schedule. During his first day on the job he met with Human Resources to walk through tax forms, payroll, and all of the other HR orientation type paperwork. It certainly was, as he immediately was thrown into things that most 18-year-olds aren't familiar with. Patrick Cassidy, Global Marketing Director of New Balance, talked in the documentary about just how overwhelming it must have been at first for a guy of Bazley’s age, saying, “I’m sure it was a crazy culture shock for Darius.” His cubicle had a whiteboard, laptop, mini basketball hoop, and New Balance shoes all over the place. This gave Bazley the opportunity to help build the brand from the ground up, showing just how much faith they had in him.Īt 18 years old, Bazley would head into the office to start his first day of work. It’s fair to have that reaction, considering New Balance hadn't had a featured athlete or major presence in the NBA for decades. In GAP YEAR, Bazley gave insight into what his initial reaction was when New Balance pitched him to be their launching point for once again building a reputation on the basketball court, saying, “In my head, I’m like, New Balance?” A lot of guys at that age don’t get that opportunity so to have that was pretty cool. To just even be siting in that meeting I was blown away.

“We first met in Las Vegas at Summer League and they brought me in and just kinda pitched the idea and their plans of how they wanted to come back and how they wanted to do it with me. That summer after graduation, he met with New Balance and would be offered the opportunity to earn $1 million as an intern for them in Boston.īazley walked me through how the offer came about and where he was pitched the idea. During this year away from organized basketball games and working out with a team, Bazley needed some structure and experience that would help him at the next level.

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