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After tonight I would say cut his ass and find someone else.
I thought he sucked.
New Spur Ahearn logs frequent-flier miles
By Jeff McDonald
LOS ANGELES — Blake Ahearn's journey back to the NBA was a grueling one. It took five flights covering 3,800 miles in less than 24 hours.
Ahearn, a backup point guard signed by the Spurs before the start of their two-game road trip to the West Coast, was on his way to join the Dakota Wizards of the NBA Development League for training camp Saturday morning.
He had left his hometown of St. Louis before dawn, had a layover in Chicago, hop-scotched to Denver for another connection, and finally boarded what he thought would be his final destination: Bismarck, N.D.
No sooner did his United flight touch down when Ahearn's cell phone buzzed. It was his agent, alerting him to the fact that the Spurs were interested in picking him up.
Ahearn collected his bags, returned to the gate, and boarded a flight to join the Spurs in Sacramento, by way of ... Denver, the city he just left.
“I racked up some good miles that day,” Ahearn said before Monday's game against the L.A. Clippers. “Fortunately, I got all the bags I needed.”
He finally arrived in California's capital city in the wee hours of Sunday morning, not too long before the team's scheduled shootaround for that night's game against the Kings.
All told, Ahearn spent more time in the air than on the ground Saturday. He was still on cloud nine Monday, when his wild return to the NBA brought him to Staples Center.
“I was here (in the NBA), so I got a taste of what it was like,” Ahearn said. “As a basketball player, this is where you want to be.”
Ahearn, the D-League's rookie of the year last season with Dakota, appeared in 10 games with the Miami Heat toward the tail end of the campaign.
He was one of the final cuts in camp with Minnesota earlier this fall.
The Spurs signed the 24-year-old Ahearn, who they had worked out during a free-agent camp over the summer, to provide depth at the point. With Tony Parker injured, the team has only two true point guards on the roster — George Hill and Jacque Vaughn.
Ahearn holds the distinction of being the NCAA's all-time most accurate free-throw shooter, leaving Missouri State in 2007 with a four-year mark of 94.6 percent.
“He's a pretty good shooter, and he's a pretty crafty kid,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of Ahearn. “At this point in the season, scoring is somewhat important to us, so we brought him in.”
Hill in good hands: Doctors have told Hill he can remove the splint from his formerly sprained left wrist at any time. Hill is in no rush to do so.
“I think I might keep it for a while,” Hill said. “It's an insurance brace.”
That insurance came in handy Sunday night in Sacramento, when Hill stuck his hand into a loose-ball scrum. He withdrew it, wincing, but wound up no worse for wear.
MVC represents: Ahearn's arrival gives the Spurs two players from the Missouri Valley Conference. While at Missouri State from 2003-07, Ahearn's Bears were a league rival of Anthony Tolliver's Creighton Bluejays.
The only other college conference to turn out as many current Spurs was the ACC, one-time home to Tim Duncan (Wake Forest) and Roger Mason Jr. (Virginia).
After tonight I would say cut his ass and find someone else.
I thought he sucked.
Ahearn had 3 points in just 4 minutes of action.
Had he never been signed, the Spurs might've ended up losing in OT to the Clippers since he wouldn't have been there to hit the 3.
He looked shaky, but I'd love to give him a chance to see what he can do.
it makes sense he'd be a little lost, he's had all of a day to learn the defensive sets.
That's a little harsh considering Ahearn hasn't even gotten one practice in with the team.
Willie Burton he isn't.
We shall see, but like I said, just on raw basketball stuff, I wasn't impressed.
He will be around for a couple more weeks so we shall see.
yeah, tpark is dumb as kori says...
hey, jewish boy can shoot it.
For the record, Ahearn looked pretty damn bad but without a practice and not playing any organized basketball in about a month, I'll give him another game or two before I hand out my NEXT.
I thought Pop did a good job of sneaking him in there in a situation where he couldn't really hurt the team too bad.
She said you were dumb there pal.
same here
cant' judge him when he haven't even have 1 practice with us yet
Yeah, I can't make any judgments other than he wasn't afraid to shoot. I'm impressed Pop played him some halfway meaningful minutes tonight. I'm not sold on keeping four point guards this season, but Ahearn looks like he will get a chance.
Pop surely can't be satisfied with Vaughn's offensive skills. He has none. And although he can get in the way of the opponent on defense, his offensive liability effects everyone on the court with him.
Yeah, I can't make any judgments other than he wasn't afraid to shoot. I'm impressed Pop played him some halfway meaningful minutes tonight. I'm not sold on keeping four point guards this season, but Ahearn looks like he will get a chance.
You noticed he wasn't in on that last play and no one was left unguarded. Vaughn is terrible.
Just got back from the game.
In person, Ahearn looks like a cross between Keith Van Horn and Pee Wee Herman.
He sure is playing a lot.
no choice.. Hill has hit the wall already.
Vaughn's offense helped win against Sacramento, and its amazing how the team goes on those runs when hes in there as well.
The runs in the second and third where when he was in there running the point.
Theres a pattern....
There's always a choice.
there was clearly 5 minutes in tonights game where vaughn lost his mind and thought he was tony parker. the quarter ended and pop told him to settle the f down. then started happening.
I think the Spurs plan to do a genetic annealing of Ahearn and Vaughn when they get back to SA.
Pop didn't tell him .
The dudes been playing for 12 years in the league. He knows what hes doing.
Just want to clarify,
What kind of contract could the spurs give him?
Can Dakota get him back if we waive him or send him to DL or do we send him directly to toros?
Thanks for the clarification!
I won't accept Ahearn as a Spur until he goes to the line for the first time and misses both.
I honestly thought he was awefully slow laterally. His shot is pretty though. I wonder if Pop is planning on using him in sort of a Mike Bibby way. (Not saying this guy is as good as Bibby)
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