Denver Nuggets guard Will Barton is fresh off the best season of his career and is looking to make big waves both on and off the court in the coming campaign.

The Thrill was a shooting star for the Nuggets last season, averaging just under 15 points per contest and putting himself well within the mix for Sixth Man of the Year consideration.

His spark off the bench and high flying dunks made him one of the most impressive and exciting Nuggets last season. As a matter of fact, he was so impressive that reports state the Nuggets received first-round pick trade proposals in exchange for “The Thrill.”

Nevertheless, the Nuggs opted to hold on to No. 5, the smart thing to do as he has gelled well with these teammates and this community.

At Nuggets training camp, Barton sat down with Mile High Sports to talk about his expectations for the coming season, his Protect The Family brand and his own basketball academy in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland.

The Nuggets have high expectations this season, and it started a the team’s training camp in Omaha, Nebraska.

“I got better, and pushed myself.” Barton said. “Overall, as a team I feel like we had a great camp. Guys catching on to what coach wants offensively and defensively. We competed, pushed each other. There was great energy throughout the gym the whole week.”

As for his individual expectations, Barton said he wants to get better in all aspects, but highlighted his maturity as something that will help take his game to the next level.

Barton, 25, can almost be considered a veteran on this Nuggets team, as there are expected to be eight players younger than him win Denver finalizing their regular season roster later this month, making maturity and leadership skills essential to his game.

And that maturity is evidenced off the court, where Barton uses his clothing brand and basketball academy to help motivate those in his communities.

His clothing line, “Protect The Family,” is described as a way for people to protect their families by creating opportunities for them to be successful through positive outlets.

“It just started as something me and my friends wanted to call ourselves.” Barton said. “It just grew. People started catching on, so we just started making shirts and hats and branding it. We are just going to keep growing and see where it takes us.”

The brand is something Will loves and takes a deep amount of pride in.

Another part of Will’s brand is his basketball academy, located in his home city of Baltimore, Maryland.

Growing up, Will didn’tt go to many camps until he became a renowned prospect at the end of high school, so starting a camp of his own is something he wants to do for his community.

Will’s “Team Thrill” camp is an Elite Basketball Program that aims to help create opportunities for the youth.

“It was something I always thought about doing.” Barton said. “Once I made up my mind that I wanted to go to NBA, I always wanted to give back to my community. I knew the camp would be one way to give back, hang around the kids and teach them some values that I’ve learned since being a professional.”

Theres more than meets the eye with Will Barton. On the court he is a high-flying scorer that can bring the crowd to its feet at any moment. Off the court he’s constantly working to further brand himself and give back to the community that was responsible for his path to the NBA.

The way he carries himself, both on and off the court, is a major reason he’s become Michael Malone’s go-to guy off the bench, a fan favorite and one of the biggest voices in the team’s lockeroom.

Keep an eye out for Barton this year, as his future seems brighter than ever.