NEW YORK - Former Missouri State guard Blake Ahearn, who earned the season’s 20th GATORADE Call-Up to the Miami Heat on March 21, following a standout season with the Dakota Wizards, has been selected by the league’s head coaches as the NBA Development League’s 2007-08 Rookie of the Year.

"Blake is very deserving of this honor and I am very proud of him", said wizards head coach Duane Ticknor. "This is a testament to Blakes work ethic. He is the first one to get to the gym and last to leave".

Since his Call-Up, Ahearn has appeared in 10 games for Miami, scoring in double-figures three times: 15 points apiece at Detroit on March 27 and against New Orleans on April 2, and a 12-point outing on March 30 at Boston.

In 41 games for Dakota, Ahearn averaged 19.0 points, shooting 49 percent (239-492) from the field, 96 percent (191-199) from the free throw line and 44 percent (108-246) from three-point range, to go with 3.5 assists and 2.0 rebounds in 29.4 minutes. For his efforts in the D-League this season, Ahearn also earned a spot on the All-NBA Development League Second Team.

Ahearn joins Louis Amundson (Colorado, 2006-07), Will Bynum (Roanoke 2005-06), James Thomas (Roanoke 2004-05), Desmond Penigar (Asheville, 2003-04), Devin Brown (Fayetteville, 2002-03) and Fred House (Charleston, 2001-02) as winners of the annual award.

“While the competition was fierce for the top rookie award, Blake has taken full advantage of his time spent in the D-League,” said Chris Alpert, Vice President of Basketball Operations and Player Personnel for the D-league. “His shooting ability, toughness, deceptive athleticism, and unselfishness made him standout in a league of tremendous young prospects.”