For you old timers, whatever happened to Ron Mercer ?
- Thread starter UncleAdolph
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Im not an old timer by any means but I loved me some Ron Mercer.
Edit. RON. Sometimes I don’t like autocorrect.
Edit. RON. Sometimes I don’t like autocorrect.
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He and Chauncey Billups were accused of raping a woman in 1997, settled out of court.
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8 year NBA career averaging 14ppg. Maybe didn't turn into the NBA superstar we thought he was but he still had a good career.
He is who Pitino got in Boston instead of Tim Duncan like he thought he was getting.
Old timer here... Especially since this post reminded me when we played against Ron down in Tennessee for a Christmas basketball tournament when I played for Dunbar. He played for Goodpasture Christian School before transferring to Oak Hill. When he committed to UK I was hype..
Was a solid pro for several seasons but developed a degenerative knee issue that was career ending.
as stated above, he developed a reputation as a negative locker room presence.
have heard he’s mellowed out as an older man and actually enjoys interacting with Kentucky fans now, which was not always the case.
Probably in the top 3 of most highly touted recruits I can personally remember.
as stated above, he developed a reputation as a negative locker room presence.
have heard he’s mellowed out as an older man and actually enjoys interacting with Kentucky fans now, which was not always the case.
Probably in the top 3 of most highly touted recruits I can personally remember.
I remember standing in line at the Richmond Mall for 3 hours to get his autograph. He was my 2nd favorite player on the 96 team.
How were they charged and convicted AND settled out of court?
Civil matter. Never criminally charged, much less convicted.
I think things came too easily for him. He was a supreme physical specimen, 6'6", 210, tremendous leaper, tremendous straight-line speed. Not far off Vince Carter, who was in the same HS class (and most rated Mercer ahead of him at that time).
Mercer turned into a mid-range guy, because he could always elevate and get that shot off (and he was really good at it), and I don't think he particularly liked contact (low FT rates) When he got to the NBA he entered bad situations (bad Pitino Celtics and post-Jordan Bulls), put up some decent numbers, but never really developed a game off the dribble (unlike Derek Anderson) or NBA 3 point range. Then he started getting leg injuries that sapped his athleticism, so his career was fairly short.
Mercer turned into a mid-range guy, because he could always elevate and get that shot off (and he was really good at it), and I don't think he particularly liked contact (low FT rates) When he got to the NBA he entered bad situations (bad Pitino Celtics and post-Jordan Bulls), put up some decent numbers, but never really developed a game off the dribble (unlike Derek Anderson) or NBA 3 point range. Then he started getting leg injuries that sapped his athleticism, so his career was fairly short.
Honestly don’t remember the off-the-court stuff. Good to hear he’s mellowed out. We need his son! Lol.
- He was absolutely phenomenal at coming off of screens and elevating for 18 ft jumpers. Was a thing of beauty.
- He had to carry too much of the load on the 97 team after DA went down with a knee injury. From a talent standpoint it was no issue, but he did have some trouble cramping up if I recall correctly.
- I thought he was going to be better in the pros. But I'm absolutely terrible at determining who will be good in the pros so it checks out. I thought D Wade was gonna be a bust, and Stromile Swift was going to be Shawn Kemp 2.0.
He admitted after receiving his second NBA contract his desire to work on his game diminished.
TIL that because I was in middle school when Ron Mercer played at UK, I qualify as an old timer.
I know that means I can get cheap coffee at McDonalds, but what about Bob Evans or Cracker Barrell? Do I get the hookup on biscuits and gravy? Because that would be pretty sweet.
I know that means I can get cheap coffee at McDonalds, but what about Bob Evans or Cracker Barrell? Do I get the hookup on biscuits and gravy? Because that would be pretty sweet.
I met him, Walter McCarty and Nazr (and maybe one other but I can't recall) in the stands at the first round of the NCAAs in Anaheim way back when Tubby and his team was sent there to get beaten by Marquette (I believe this was ~2008). They came in and sat in the row in front of me. Nazr was the only one of them that was willing to sign my program. Ron said he can't sign autographs without getting paid. McCarty just flapped his hand at me in a "naw thanks" fashion. Ron didn't seem to care that he was sitting with a bunch of UK fans. I guess at least he was there "supporting" the beating.
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Lol....I love the perspective of Ron Mercer and people who watched him as an old timer.
I was fresh out of the USAF and 2 years into my engineering undergrad. You ain't old!
Oak Hill was playing a tournament in Louisville at Broadbent on Saturday night and the team played in the afternoon. Half the team showed up to watch him and they all came in together. Pretty cool.
Here is a wiki for a little more information and a Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame piece ...
en.wikipedia.org
Ron Mercer - Wikipedia
Not sure, but I think the cancer report might be referring to another "Ron Mercer" .... based on my research. I can be wrong, of course.
More so Pitino selected him over Paul Pier
My bad, they were charged in a civil case and settled out of court.
Former NBA player Ron Mercer was named in a 1997 sexual assault allegation alongside Chauncey Billups and a roommate of Antoine Walker. A woman accused the men of raping her at Walker's home in Massachusetts. No criminal charges were filed, but the victim filed a civil lawsuit that was settled out of court in 2000 for an undisclosed sum. [1, 2, 3]
The 1997 Allegation and Settlement
In November 1997, a woman alleged that she had been sexually assaulted by Mercer, Billups (who were then teammates on the Boston Celtics), and Antoine Walker’s roommate. According to the victim and police reports, she met the players at a comedy club and returned to Walker's Waltham, Massachusetts home. The victim maintained that she was raped, and an independent rape kit examination showed injuries consistent with sexual assault. Mercer and Billups denied the allegations, insisting the sexual acts were consensual
I had a customer from Nashville during the Mercer recruitment. The rest of this is what she told me, no proof other than she was an honest person. She said she went to the same beauty parlor as the wife of the man who was in charge of trying to get donations for Vandy. Mercer was just barely short of the educational numbers to qualify there. The man fielded calls constantly from grads who demanded Mercer be accepted or they would stop donations. She said the wife told her the man had a heart attack brought on by all the stress.
I assume you mean Paul Pierce? He was a year behind Mercer and he was drafted by the Celtics in '98.
Last I knew he was living in the Nashville area.
He runs several youth basketball camps in the Nashville area.
I met him one time in Vandy’s gym. I seem to remember it being Prince’s freshman year. The lockout was on so he had free time.
He was quite polite to our group. And UK won the game.
He runs several youth basketball camps in the Nashville area.
I met him one time in Vandy’s gym. I seem to remember it being Prince’s freshman year. The lockout was on so he had free time.
He was quite polite to our group. And UK won the game.
Mercer's Bible classes would not transfer to Vanderbilt, otherwise he would have went there.
Mercer and Derek absolutely destroyed Indiana & Louisville in 96/97 .. I remembered we lost to Clemson [ i think ] and after that game that team never looked backed. Many have said and agreed D.A. doesn't get hurt , we 3peat 96 97 98.
Loved seeing D.A. getting in the National semifinal game.
Still had a 3 peat within our grasp. Mercer was phenomenal but he was completely outta gas imo going into overtime.
Loved seeing D.A. getting in the National semifinal game.
Still had a 3 peat within our grasp. Mercer was phenomenal but he was completely outta gas imo going into overtime.
He's from Nashville, he probably never leaves in the NIL era. Vandy would've handed him a bag.
Still remember the 3 Epps hit to send it to OT. If Naz or Prickett could've hit their damn FT it would've never went to OT. They triple teamed Mercer but he still got his points. Me & 2 of my lady friends watched the game at Two Keys in Lexington, what a sad trip driving back to Louisville that night, had they won we would've stayed & probably had fun in a hotel room
Still remember the 3 Epps hit to send it to OT. If Naz or Prickett could've hit their damn FT it would've never went to OT. They triple teamed Mercer but he still got his points. Me & 2 of my lady friends watched the game at Two Keys in Lexington, what a sad trip driving back to Louisville that night, had they won we would've stayed & probably had fun in a hotel room
I would have gotten the room, and made them girls forget about the game
