Generally when a player signs a training camp contract in the NBA it generally isn’t newsworthy stuff outside of the player’s hometown and family. However, when it’s the all-time leading NBADL scorer Blake Ahearn, it is. Ahearn has reportedly inked a training camp contract with the Indiana Pacers which includes “some” guaranteed money. I’ve argued for the D-League to use a silhouette of Jeremy Lin for the league’s logo in the past, but I would be willing to make the same argument for Blake Ahearn. Much like Jeremy Lin, Blake Ahearn is a fine example of the kind of players that can be found in the NBA Development League.
A D-League season without a staple like Ahearn, is like the Olive Garden suddenly doing away with their bread sticks. He has become synonymous with the league during his career.
Ahearn, a 6’2” guard out of Missouri State, has accomplished wondrous things during his time in the D-League. In fact, I wrote a piece about the shifty, long range specialist here on why he should of won D-League MVP honors last season. Ahearn finished the season in a Utah Jazz uniform, but not before posting averages of 23.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game for the Reno Bighorns. Ahearn played 5-games in the NBA Summer League with Utah and averaged 5.0 points, 2.4 assists in 13.0 minutes a game.
Indiana is stacked in their backcourt, however, Ahearn’s 3-point shooting and near perfect free throw shooting can be of benefit to anyone’s squad. At 28 years old, Ahearn will look to earn his keep with Indiana and seeing that the guard isn’t getting any younger he will have to impress while he’s handling the rock in a Pacers uniform.
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