Recently signed by the Jazz for the remainder of the season, 6-3, 190-pound Blake Ahearn knows he doesn't pass the NBA "eye test" — and the D-League sharpshooter shared a couple of funny lines about that with Jazz beat writer Jody Genessy. Ahearn joined the Jazz two weeks ago, just two days after leaving his wife and hospitalized prematurely born infant girl, Blake, behind in the intensive care unit to try to seize a rare and golden opportunity in the NBA. (His daughter gave him a little celebratory going-away gift, too.)
Q: You've had big D-League numbers. Do you feel like you deserve this chance in the NBA?
A: No question. It's something night in and night out in the D-League, I tried to be as consistent as I could, showing it's not a couple of weeks of playing well. My whole career I tried to just show people that night in and night out this is what you're getting. Obviously, coming in here I'm not going to score 25 a night for Utah, but I'm going to come in and play my game in the minutes that I get and I know if I do that it will help this team win and that's what I'm here to do.
Q: What has prevented you from getting a real look in the NBA?
A: People look at ya, and I've heard before I don't pass the eye test. The best thing for me is getting stopped going to the bus or getting questioned getting on the plane. Jeremy Lin's been through it, he said. I was in San Antonio. The stewardess asked if I was Matt Bonner's friend just along for the ride. That's the thing that I deal with, but when I step on the floor, usually when the buzzer sounds I've earned people's respect. That's just due to my hard work. I don't play above the rim. I'm not a banger. I'm not that. But skill-level-wise, I have to be that much better. When I've put in as many hours as I have, my confidence is as high as it can get. That's what I do, I just take all the work that I've done and bring it on the floor.
Q: Does the offense seem different than anything you've run?
A: I like to think I'm a pretty smart guy on the basketball floor. My mom and (wife) may have a different story, but on the basketball floor I pick up things pretty quick. It's a lot of the basic stuff I've seen before. I've played for a couple of teams, training camps. It's just different terminology, different stuff like that. But I think I'm pretty good.
Q: Were you expecting this?
A: (I was) holding my daughter in the NICU. Basically, I'd been home for 10 days. I just thought my season was over. I still stay in shape and all that, because there's that in the back of my mind, 'What if something were to happen?' But I didn't wake up the other day thinking that Utah was going to call. I'm grateful they did, and I'm ready to make the most of this opportunity.
Q: Where were you when you got the call?
A: I was in the NICU, was in the hospital holding my daughter. Funny enough, right as it happened, I handed the phone (over) and she spit up all over me, all down my shirt. My wife was like, 'Look, there you go. Now you can take that with you!' I still have it in my bag. It's the shirt I wore to the airport, everything. It's definitely a great story. Hopefully … I can take it pretty far.