Blake Ahearn

Blake Ahearn
Born	(1984-05-27) May 27, 1984 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Basketball player, basketball coach
Years active	2007–2015 (player), 2015–present (coach)
Known for	Former NBA player; assistant coach for Memphis Grizzlies

Daniel Blake Ahearn (born May 27, 1984) is an American former basketball player and current professional coach, who has served as an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played collegiate basketball at Missouri State.

Playing Career

Ahearn's professional playing years extended from 2007 through 2015, predominantly occupying the point guard position. His career encompassed participation in the NBA, the NBA Development League (D-League), and overseas competitions. In the NBA, he had tenures with the Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, and Utah Jazz. Within the D-League, he represented several teams such as the Dakota Wizards, Bakersfield Jam, Erie BayHawks, and Reno Bighorns. His accomplishments include being named NBA D-League Rookie of the Year in 2008 and earning spots on the All-NBA D-League First Team in both 2009 and 2012. Internationally, Ahearn played for clubs including Estudiantes Madrid, Teramo Basket, Dongguan Leopards, and Ukrainian champions Budivelnyk Kyiv.

Coaching Career

Following his retirement from playing in 2015, Ahearn shifted focus to coaching. He started coaching at the high school level before guiding the Austin Spurs to an NBA G League title in 2018. Subsequently, he joined the coaching staff of the Memphis Grizzlies as an assistant coach, where he has contributed to their tactical advancements within the NBA.

Honors

• Champion of the Ukrainian SuperLeague and Cup (2014)
• NBA D-League champion (2015)
• NBA G League championship-winning coach (2018)
• NBA D-League All-Star Game MVP (2009)
• Multiple selections to All-NBA D-League Teams
• Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year (2004) and two-time First-team All-MVC honoree (2006, 2007)

High school career

Ahearn attended De Smet Jesuit High School in St. Louis, Missouri, where he played varsity basketball for three seasons. He averaged 17.7 points per game during his junior year and improved to 18.5 points per game as a senior, earning All-Metro recognition both years and All-State honors as a junior. Despite suffering a broken hand in the divisional semifinal during his junior season, which sidelined him for the remainder of that year, his team advanced to become state runners-up after falling to Vashon High School in the championship game.

College career

From 2003 to 2007, Ahearn competed for the Missouri State Bears, concluding his collegiate tenure with a remarkable career free throw percentage of 94.6% (435 made out of 460 attempts), setting records both at Missouri State and within the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). He established a single-season free throw accuracy record at 97.5% and twice achieved streaks of 60 consecutive made free throws—both school and conference records. Holding the school record for career three-pointers with 276, Ahearn was honored as MVC Freshman of the Year in 2004 and earned First-team All-MVC selections twice (2006, 2007). Although his teams narrowly missed NCAA tournament bids each year, including losses in MVC Tournament finals during his freshman and sophomore years, his impact was later recognized with induction into the Missouri State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016.

NBA D-League

During the 2007–2008 campaign, Ahearn competed for the NBA Development League's Dakota Wizards, securing a starting position and posting averages of 19 points per contest. He demonstrated exceptional shooting efficiency, converting 96% of his free throws, hitting 49% from the field, and shooting 44% from beyond the arc across 41 appearances.

NBA

On March 21, 2008, Ahearn inked a 10-day contract with the NBA's Miami Heat as the team dealt with injury-related roster challenges. In a matchup against the Detroit Pistons on March 27, he led Miami in scoring with 15 points despite the team's defeat.

Ahearn earned recognition on April 10 by being named the D-League Rookie of the Year and securing a spot on the All-NBA Development League Second Team.

2008–09 season

Although he averaged 8 points during NBA preseason games, Ahearn was released by the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 23, 2008, before returning to the Dakota Wizards. On November 16, he became the season’s initial D-League call-up by signing with the San Antonio Spurs. Shortly after, on November 30, he was assigned to their D-League affiliate, the Austin Toros.

The Spurs waived him on December 15, prompting his return to Dakota. On February 14, 2009, Ahearn was selected for the NBA Development League All-Star Game, where he shared MVP honors alongside Courtney Sims.

2009–10 season

Ahearn began this season with Spanish outfit Estudiantes Madrid before heading back to the D-League to play for both the Bakersfield Jam and the Erie BayHawks.

2010–11 season

On August 1, Ahearn signed with Italian squad Teramo Basket, but after only a few games, he was released. He then rejoined the Erie BayHawks on December 29.

2011–12 season

Blake started the 2011–12 season representing the United States at the 2011 Pan American Games, where his team earned a bronze medal. He was second in scoring for Team USA with an average of 10 points per game and topped his team’s scoring with 21 points in a contest against Brazil.

Following the Pan American Games, Blake signed with the Erie Bayhawks but was traded to the Reno Bighorns on draft day. Early in the D-League season, he participated in Los Angeles Clippers training camp before returning to Reno.

Leading all scorers in the NBA D-League that season, Blake averaged an impressive 23.8 points per game. He was named to the NBA Development League All-Star Game, where he contributed 21 points and eight assists. Notably, Blake set an NBA and D-League record by making 110 consecutive free throws—second only to John Wooden among professional players—and became the league’s all-time leading scorer in 2012.

On April 10, Blake secured a 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz, which was extended through the remainder of that season on April 20.

2012–13 season

In September of 2012, Ahearn signed with the NBA’s Indiana Pacers, but was waived on October 22. By December, he had joined China’s Dongguan Leopards competing in the CBA.

2013–14 season

On August 12, 2013, Ahearn agreed to terms with Ukrainian club Budivelnyk Kyiv.

2014–15 season

On December 18, 2014, Ahearn joined the Capitanes de Arecibo for the 2015 BSN campaign but departed after participating in just three games by February 2015. Subsequently, on March 11, he was signed by the Santa Cruz Warriors, with whom he secured the D-League title on April 26.

Coaching career

In 2015, Ahearn took on the role of head coach for the boys' basketball team at Clayton High School located in Clayton, Missouri. Following a season that ended with a 7–17 record, he accepted a coaching position at his former school, De Smet Jesuit.

On August 1, 2017, Ahearn was appointed as the head coach of the Austin Spurs competing in the NBA G League. Later, on June 20, 2020, he advanced to an assistant coaching role with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Regular season

|- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| Miami | 12 || 0 || 14.8 || .263 || .294 || .968 || 1.6 || 1.6 || .5 || .0 || 5.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| San Antonio | 3 || 0 || 6.3 || .333 || .500|| 1.000 || .3 || .7 || .3 || .0 || 2.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"| Utah | 4 || 0 || 7.5 || .286 || .222 || .000 || .5 || .3 || .0 || .0 || 2.5 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center" colspan="2"| Career | 19 || 0 || 11.9 || .273 || .298 || .970 || 1.2 || 1.2 || .4 || .0 || 4.6

Playoffs

|- | style="text-align:left;"| 2012 | style="text-align:left;"| Utah | 3 || 0 || 2.7 || .667 || 1.000 || .000 || .0 || .7 || .0 || .0 || 1.7 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center" colspan="2"| Career | 3 || 0 || 2.7 || .667 || 1.000 || .000 || .0 || .7 || .0 || .0 || 1.7

Regular season

|- | style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08 | style="text-align:left;"| Dakota | 41 || 15 || 29.4 || .486 || .439 || style="background:#cfecec;"| .960* || 2.0 || 3.5 || .7 || .0 || 19.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09 | style="text-align:left;"| Austin | 6 || 6 || 34.3 || .444 || .531|| style="background:#cfecec;" | .914*|| 2.3||6.0||.8||.0||18.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09 | style="text-align:left;" | Dakota | 41|| 41||38.7||.445||.420||style="background:#cfecec;" |.957*||2.4||5.0||.7||.0||22.7 |- | style="text-align:left;" |2009–10 | style="text-align:left;" | Bakersfield |17||10||32.8||.367||.277||style="background:#cfecec;" |.932*||2.1||4.1||1.2||.1||14.3 |-

|style="text-align:left;" |2009–10
|style="text-align:left;" |Erie
|13||13||45.1||.433||.440||style="background:#cfecec;" |.961*||4.5||6.7|||1.2|||.3|||25.7

|-

|style="text-align:left;" |2010–11
|style="text-align:left;" |Erie
|31||25||33.7||.406||.354||style="background:#cfecec;" |.962*|||2.7|||5.8|||1.1|||.2|||16.9

|-

|style="text-align:left;" |2011–12
|style="text-align:left;" |Reno Bighorns 
|37|||37|||37.5|||469|||409|||style="background:#cfecec;" |.962*|||3.5|||5..1|||1..1|||..1|||23..8

|-

|style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;" |2014–15† 
|style="text-align:left;" |Santa Cruz Warriors 
|9|||0|||21..2|||397|||375|||944|||1..9|||2..7|||..7|||..0|||9..6

|- class="sortbottom"

|style="text-align:center" colspan= "2" |Career 
|195|||147|||34..7|||444|||404|||style= "background:#e0cef2" |956 
|2..5 
|4..8 
|..9 
|..1 
|19..9 

Domestic league performance

Season	Club	Competition	GP	MPG	FG%	3PT FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2009–10	CB Estudiantes	Liga ACB	13	25.1	.294	.414	.983	1.1	.8	.7	.1	14.2
2010–11	Teramo Basket	Lega A	6	24.5	.286	.345	1.000	1.7	1.3	.5	.0	9.3
2012–13	Dongguan Leopards	CBA	17	28.6	.468	.333	.905	3.1	3.4	.9	.0	23.0
2013–14	BC Budivelnyk	SuperLeague	20	24.8	.449	.383	.853	1.7	3.2	.7	.2	11.6

International competition statistics

Season	Club	Tournament	GP	MPG	FG%	3PT FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2013–14	BC Budivelnyk	Euroleague	9	20.8	.378	.361	.905	1.6	1.7	.0	.1	9.6
		EuroCup	10	23.7	.525	.457	.978	1.5	2.6	.6	.0	15.0
2014–15	Capitanes de Arecibo	Americas League	3	25.0	.125	.316	.750	2.0	2.3	1.0	.0	8.7

Personal background

Blake Ahearn is the son of Daniel and Erin Ahearn; his father was a basketball player at Washburn University. He and his spouse are parents to three children, welcoming their first child in 2012.

External links

• Profile on Eurobasket.com
• NBA Development League profile
• Missouri State Bears biography