If you had to pick between the two who would it be. To me Mercer was the better all around player, but MKG not far behind.
Mercer vs. MKG
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MKG.
I think you actually have it reversed- MKG was a better all-around player, but Mercer had a huge edge as a shooter. However, that huge edge came with the caveat that Mercer was often one-dimensional (a big part of what torpedoed his NBA career).
MKG's butt-ugly jumper makes people forget that he was a decent offensive player. Very good ballhandler and passer for his size, very good at getting to the rim, a superb rebounder, and a holy terror in the open court (so was Mercer, but as more of the wing guy who finishes fastbreaks, as opposed to MKG often starting those fastbreaks). And defensively? Mercer thrived in the fullcourt press because of his athleticism, but no one in their right mind would compare him to MKG on the defensive end.
I think you actually have it reversed- MKG was a better all-around player, but Mercer had a huge edge as a shooter. However, that huge edge came with the caveat that Mercer was often one-dimensional (a big part of what torpedoed his NBA career).
MKG's butt-ugly jumper makes people forget that he was a decent offensive player. Very good ballhandler and passer for his size, very good at getting to the rim, a superb rebounder, and a holy terror in the open court (so was Mercer, but as more of the wing guy who finishes fastbreaks, as opposed to MKG often starting those fastbreaks). And defensively? Mercer thrived in the fullcourt press because of his athleticism, but no one in their right mind would compare him to MKG on the defensive end.
MKG was arguably the best defender I have seen at UK in my life time. He never quit and always gave 110%. Mercer was an amazing talent, but as stated above, he didn't bring the all around game MKG did.
I know hind sight is 20/20 but, it is hard to believe they had Mercer on the same level as Kevin Garnett coming out of HS. Mercer was great, but man... Kevin Garnett level.
I know hind sight is 20/20 but, it is hard to believe they had Mercer on the same level as Kevin Garnett coming out of HS. Mercer was great, but man... Kevin Garnett level.
Mercer was rated there after the summer of 94, but by the spring of 95, post all-star games, I think everyone had Garnett #1.
Garnett was from nowheresville South Carolina, and I don't think he got a lot of national exposure until he moved to Chicago for his senior year. Mercer was one of those guys who made an early splash, so all the recruiting analysts knew him from the time he was about 15-16.
That was a really, really strong class of players, BTW. Also included Paul Pierce, Vince Carter, Stephon Marbury, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Chauncey Billups, and Antawn Jamison.
It really depends on what you need as a team. Of the two, I'd take Mercer on this team. We need his scoring.
I really like what Mercer did and think if you look at both Mercer and MKG on their respective teams, Mercer was more important.
With that said I disagree. If this team had MKG, it gets a low post defender or wing defender extraordinaire. This then makes any of our other flawed low post people less flawed and improves the team defense exponentially. Mercer just offers a larger version of Murray.
If Mercer played with the intensity of MKG, he'd probably be a Jordan level type player. After DA went down with his knee, Mercer phoned in a bunch of games. Sure, he'd still go for 20, but you could see his heart wasn't in it.
MKG was all heart and motor. And he had a full grown man's body with a killer work ethic. I think you could put Mercer on a lot of teams and they may only be marginally better. If you put MKG on any team, his intangibles alone would raise the bar significantly.
Picking MKG is not a knock on Mercer. Both were great, but it's MKG for me.
MKG was all heart and motor. And he had a full grown man's body with a killer work ethic. I think you could put Mercer on a lot of teams and they may only be marginally better. If you put MKG on any team, his intangibles alone would raise the bar significantly.
Picking MKG is not a knock on Mercer. Both were great, but it's MKG for me.
Depends on what your team needed. MKG was the better all around player, Mercer the better scorer.
Depends. on the 96 team Mercer definitely wasnt more important than 2012 MKG. 97 Mercer and 2012 were about equally as important.
MKG was great but WCS was unbelievable as well. Being 7' and able to guard anyone from the PG to the center. Too bad he didn't have the same motor MKG did or we would have hung #9 last year. He just didn't show up against Wisconsin.
I'd take Anderson over Mercer and MKG over both. He was the best finisher I have ever seen at UK. I really dont think he ever missed a layup or dunk no matter if it was one on one or one on three, he finished.
MKG was a winner!!
All energy all the time, could guard 4 positions on the floor!!!!!
Also, I think that MKG made his team better by leading.
Remember the breakfast club?
That was all MKG.
Mercer was a good college scorer but he wasn't a great outside shooter and wasn't a great rebounder or defender.
All energy all the time, could guard 4 positions on the floor!!!!!
Also, I think that MKG made his team better by leading.
Remember the breakfast club?
That was all MKG.
Mercer was a good college scorer but he wasn't a great outside shooter and wasn't a great rebounder or defender.
Give me MKG ... without question.
U.K. has had a few more talented players than MKG, but never a more valuable player to his team than MKG.
Just MHO, of course.
U.K. has had a few more talented players than MKG, but never a more valuable player to his team than MKG.
Just MHO, of course.
There's zero doubt that Mercer was the better offensive player, but MKG was better overall. He was by far a better defender and a bit better rebounder. Both were very good in the open court, but MKG might get the nod there as well. I loved watching both.
This is one of your classic age/history threads. I will guess most will pick MKG because they remember his heart and drive in the title run most recently or they aren't old enough to remember how great Mercer was. I'll take Mercer. The one thing that will hurt Mercer is how he wasn't a focal point and can sometimes get lost on that '96 stud team and they fell short in '97. The guy scored 20 points as a freshman in the title game. I'll take Mercer but they were both great Cats.
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MKG.
I honestly cannot remember one time he didn't get the hoop, harm or both in a breakaway. Easily the best finisher in transition I ever saw in a UK uniform.
I honestly cannot remember one time he didn't get the hoop, harm or both in a breakaway. Easily the best finisher in transition I ever saw in a UK uniform.
Wow I didn't realize how stacked that class was. Mercer was a great get for us though. I believe his final NBA season (Bulls?) he was putting up pretty strong numbers.
Depends on what team you're putting them on. MKG would help us tremendously on defense but he wouldn't help much with out problems scoring against packed in defenses. Mercer would be a better addition to this team. If I'm starting with one and building a team around them, give me MKG.
I'd have to disagree with those that keep saying this team needs scoring more than defense.
Scoring for this team isn't really the problem some are trying to make it out to be. This UK team averages near 80 points a game, scoring 1.1 points per possession. That's a respectable number and plenty good enough offensively to win college basketball games.
The major problem is that this team allows 1.0 points per possession, which is absolutely awful. That number should be at least a full point lower.
Scoring for this team isn't really the problem some are trying to make it out to be. This UK team averages near 80 points a game, scoring 1.1 points per possession. That's a respectable number and plenty good enough offensively to win college basketball games.
The major problem is that this team allows 1.0 points per possession, which is absolutely awful. That number should be at least a full point lower.
Agree with all that. Mercer was great, but I'll take MKG. He and DA are my two favorite Cats, I think. Heart of a lion, all the attributes of an all timer glue guy - but with abilities you don't ordinarily see in that kind of player. Pretty sure MKG was considered best high school player in the country - as a junior.
And that '95 senior class was crazy good - arguably second best ever after '79.....