James Ennis is headed from Long Beach to South Beach.  After being selected 50th overall in the second round of the NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks, the 2013 Big West Player of the Year was traded to the two-time defending world champion Miami Heat.

Ennis is the first Long Beach State player to be chosen in the NBA Draft since the Charlotte Hornets tabbed Andrew Betts in 1998.  Coincidentally, Betts also went 50th overall in the second round that year.  The last Big West player to be chosen by Atlanta was Roberto Bergersen of Boise State (2nd round, 52nd overall) in the 1999 draft.

Ennis is the second Big West player in as many years to hear his name called on draft day.  He follows UC Santa Barbara's Orlando Johnson, who was taken in the second round with the 36th pick by the Sacramento Kings.  Johnson later was dealt to the Indiana Pacers.

A native of Ventura, Calif., Ennis played two seasons at Long Beach State and helped the 49ers reach the postseason both times.  He averaged 16.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game en route to Player of the Year honors.  The 6-7 guard/forward ranked in the top 10 of several conference statistical categories, including eighth in field goal percentage (.491) and fourth in free throw percentage (.834).

Ennis also received national accolades as he was named USBWA All-District IX, NABC All-District IX First Team and a Lou Henson Mid-Major All-American.

Now Ennis heads to a franchise that is led by NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James and the likes of teammates Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh and Ray Allen. 

Perhaps Ennis and Johnson will get to rekindle the college rivalry the two experienced when LBSU and UCSB met in the 2011 and 2012 Big West Tournament championship games.  Johnson's Pacers battled the Heat in this year's Eastern Conference finals before falling in seven games.