Mike Mercer (basketball)

Last updated

Mike Mercer
Personal information
Born (1986-09-29) September 29, 1986 (age 38)
Anaheim, California
NationalityAmerican
Listed height192 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Listed weight88 kg (194 lb)
Career information
High school South Gwinnett (Snellville, Georgia)
College
NBA draft 2010: undrafted
Playing career2010–2014
Position Shooting guard
Career history
2011 Halifax Rainmen
2011–2012BG Illertal
2013–2014 Geelong Supercats
Career highlights and awards

Michael Anthony Mercer Jr. (born September 29, 1986) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the University of Georgia and the University of South Florida.

Contents

Early life

Born in Anaheim, California, Mercer grew up in Snellville, Georgia, where he was a teammate of former NBA player Lou Williams at South Gwinnett High School and with the AAU's Georgia Stars. As a junior at South Gwinnett in 2003–04, he averaged 18.1 points per game and helped the school go 31–2 and win the AAAAA championship. [1]

As a senior in 2004–05, Mercer averaged 19.8 points, 8.1 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game, helping South Gwinnett to a 28–3 record and the quarterfinals of the Georgia Class 5A state tournament. [1]

College career

Georgia

As a freshman at Georgia in 2005–06, Mercer averaged 11 points and three rebounds per game and was named to the Coaches' SEC All-Freshman team. He had 17 double-digit scoring games, captured one Freshman-of-the-Week award, and ranked eighth in the SEC in steals at 1.71 per game. [2]

As a sophomore in 2006–07, Mercer started all 23 games for Georgia before suffering a right ACL injury that forced him to miss the final 10 games of the season. He was the second leading scorer on the team at 13.6 points per game. Prior to his injury, Mercer was leading the team in scoring and minutes played and was ranked 18th in the SEC in scoring, 14th in assists (3.6), eighth in steals (1.70) and 13th in assist/turnover ratio (1.43). He earned SEC Player of the Week honors once and came within two rebounds against Jacksonville of becoming first Bulldogs player in history to achieve a triple-double. [2]

On March 15, 2007, Mercer underwent reconstructive knee surgery to repair the torn ligament. [3]

On October 11, 2007, Mercer was suspended by the University of Georgia for violating the school's new class attendance policy for student-athletes. His suspension cost him the first 15 games of the 2007–08 season. [4] Mercer was later dismissed from the program on November 19, 2007 for "being a disruption," said Georgia coach Dennis Felton at the time. [5] [6]

South Florida

On November 27, 2007, Mercer transferred to South Florida and subsequently redshirted the 2007–08 season due to NCAA transfer regulations. [7]

Mercer became eligible to play for South Florida in December 2008, making his debut for the Bulls on December 14 against Niagara. He competed in four games, starting two, before suffering a season-ending knee injury on December 21 against Wright State. [8]

While out injured, Mercer again ran into trouble. On January 23, 2009, he was arrested for the second time in four months: the first being in September 2008 for public consumption of alcohol, and the second being for marijuana possession. Arrested with him was teammate Anthony Crater, who were both charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana. Both were suspended from the team indefinitely. [9] [10]

It seemed his career, at Georgia and USF, would be remembered for injuries and dismissals, and for the disappointment of missed opportunities. But coach Stan Heath kept Mercer on scholarship, hoping he would stick around and earn his degree, and after Mercer graduated in August 2009 and fulfilled the legal requirements of a pretrial intervention program to get a misdemeanor drug charge dropped, Heath took a chance by allowing Mercer back on the team for the 2009–10 season. Heath's decision paid dividends, as Mercer became a key part of the Bulls' emergence in 2009–10. In February 2010, Mercer expressed how grateful he was to be part of a team making a run at the NCAA Tournament: "Coming back has been a blessing. I'm grateful that Coach Heath and the coaching staff gave me another chance, and that's why I play my heart out every game. When you have a coach that's willing to go out on a limb for you, it makes you want to work that much harder for them." [11]

In 2009–10, Mercer played in all 33 games for the Bulls, starting 30 of them. He ranked fifth on the team with 9.2 points per game while also adding 4.5 rebounds in 28.6 minutes per contest. He also finished third on the team with 48 assists and second with 44 steals. On January 5, 2010, he had his first career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 10 rebounds against Notre Dame. [2] During the season, he had two 19-point games, a season high. [12]

After earning a degree in criminology, Mercer began working on a second degree in communications. [13] [14]

Professional career

In November 2010, Mercer joined the Halifax Rainmen as a non-contracted training camp invite. [15] He helped the team go 3–1 over four preseason games between December 10 and 19, and made his regular season debut for the club in the season opener on January 2, 2011, scoring 14 points in a 109–99 win over the Vermont Frost Heaves. [16] Mercer left the team on February 15 because of undisclosed family reasons. Team Owner Andre Levingston said Mercer returned to Atlanta to be with his wife and young child. His departure left a gaping hole at the Rainmen's two spot, where Mercer averaged 14.5 points per game, second on the team and 15th in the Premier Basketball League. [17] [18]

In November 2011, Mercer moved to Weißenhorn, Germany to play for BG Illertal of the German ProB. [19] In 15 games for the club throughout the 2011–12 season, he averaged 16.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game.

In December 2012, Mercer signed with the Geelong Supercats for the 2013 SEABL season. [20] Mercer had a standout year with Geelong, finishing top ten in the league in points scored, assists and steals. [21] In 29 games for the club in 2013, he averaged 20.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. He subsequently earned All-SEABL Team honors. [22]

In October 2013, Mercer trialled with the Wollongong Hawks of the National Basketball League, [23] but was ultimately unsuccessful in garnering a contract.

Mercer returned to the Geelong Supercats for the 2014 SEABL season, but a mid-season right Achilles tendon injury ended his campaign after just 15 games. [24] [25] He helped the Supercats go 14–1 with averages of 20.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. [26]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geelong United (NBL1 South)</span> Defunct basketball team from Geelong, Australia

Geelong United is a NBL1 South club based in Geelong, Victoria. Known as the Geelong Supercats for the overwhelming majority of its existence, the club fields teams in both the Men's and Women's NBL1 South. Previously managed by Basketball Geelong, the club is affiliated with Geelong United Basketball and plays its home games at the Geelong Arena.

Ivan Troy Harris is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Melton Thoroughbreds of the Big V Division One. He played college basketball for Ohio State University before playing professionally in for the NBA Development League as well as playing in Finland, Australia, Argentina, Uruguay, Japan, Romania and Canada.

Rhys Jarred Carter is an Australian former professional basketball player and current assistant coach for Melbourne United of the National Basketball League (NBL). He had a near 20-year career, playing 282 NBL games, over 110 games in Sweden, over 200 SEABL/NBL1 games, and time in the British Basketball League, Big V and Premier League.

Nathan Herbert is an Australian basketball player for the Geelong Supercats of the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL). A 350-game player with the Supercats, Herbert is a two-time national champion, having won titles with Geelong in 2006 and 2010. Herbert spent five years in the National Basketball League (NBL), winning a championship in 2009 with the South Dragons.

Cecil Maurice Exum was an American-Australian professional basketball player who played eight seasons in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels, who won an NCAA championship in 1982.

Madeleine Taylor is an Australian basketball player who has competed for Australian Institute of Sport and Bendigo Spirit in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL).

Alexander Gynes is an Australian former basketball player and coach.

Charles Brandon Polk is an American professional basketball player for the Casey Cavaliers of the Big V.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mathiang Muo</span> Australian-Sudanese basketball player

Mathiang Mauot Muo is an Australian-South Sudanese professional basketball player for the South West Slammers of the NBL1 West. He played four seasons of college basketball in the United States between 2009 and 2013 before joining the Perth Wildcats of the National Basketball League (NBL). He was a member of the Wildcats' 2014 championship-winning team but managed just 15 games over two seasons due to injury. Since parting ways with the Wildcats, Muo has had a successful state league career, playing in the SBL, SEABL, NBL1 and Queensland State League (QSL). He won an SBL championship with the East Perth Eagles in 2014 and a SEABL championship with the Hobart Chargers in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cliff Clinkscales</span> American basketball player (born 1984)

Clifford Clinkscales is an American professional basketball head coach and retired player. He is the head coach of the KW Titans of the Basketball Super League. A 6-foot-1-inch (1.85 m) point guard, Clinkscales began playing professionally in 2008, with two seasons in the NBA Development League. He spent most of his professional career in NBL Canada, playing from 2013 to 2020 in Halifax for the Rainmen and the Hurricanes. With the Halifax Hurricanes, he set the record for the most career assists in NBL Canada history.

Shane McDonald is an Australian former professional basketball player. He had four stints in the National Basketball League (NBL) with the Singapore Slingers, Perth Wildcats, Melbourne Tigers and New Zealand Breakers. The majority of his career was spent in the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL) for the Nunawading Spectres, winning a championship in 2011 and league MVP honours in 2013. In his final season, he helped the Spectres win the 2019 NBL1 championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garrett Jackson</span> American basketball player

Garrett Jackson is an American former professional basketball player and current coach. He currently serves as an assistant coach for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for USC and Saint Mary's before playing professionally in Australia and Germany.

Klara Wischer is an Australian professional basketball player who last played for the Southside Flyers of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). She played two seasons of college basketball in the United States for the San Diego Toreros before debuting in the WNBL for the Perth Lynx in 2015. After many seasons in the Australian state leagues, she returned to the WNBL in 2023 with the Southside Flyers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dexter Kernich-Drew</span> Australian basketball player

Dexter Grant Kernich-Drew is an Australian professional basketball player for the Waverley Falcons of the NBL1 South. He played college basketball for Washington State before beginning a career in the National Basketball League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Wilson (basketball)</span> Australian rules footballer and basketball player

Thomas Glen Joseph Wilson is an Australian basketball player and former football player. After playing basketball competitively between 2014 and 2019, he switched codes and joined the Collingwood Football Club of the Australian Football League (AFL). He returned to basketball in 2024 after playing eight games in five seasons for Collingwood.

George Blagojevic is an Australian professional basketball player for the Geelong Supercats of the NBL1 South. Blagojevic played college basketball for the Hartford Hawks.

Daniela Wallen Morillo is a Venezuelan basketball player and a member of the Venezuela national team. She played college basketball for Northwest Florida State College and Oklahoma City University and won the NAIA championship with the later in 2017. Following her college career, she has played professionally in three continents. In 2018, she won the Paraguayan League championship with Sol de América Asunción and the following year she won the Finnish championship as a member of Peli-Karhut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaz Shelley</span> Australian basketball player

Jazmin Pamela Shelley is an Australian professional basketball player for Geelong United of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). She was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2024 WNBA draft. A point guard, she began her college basketball career at Oregon before transferring to Nebraska after her sophomore season. In her first year with the Cornhuskers, Shelley was a second-team All-Big Ten selection, before making the coaches' first-team in her next season. She returned for a fifth college season and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors. Shelley previously played for the Melbourne Boomers of the WNBL, where she was named Rookie of the Year in 2019. She plays for the Australian national team and is a three-time gold medalist at the junior level.

Mark Leader (1960–2023) was an American-Australian basketball player and coach. He played college basketball for Western Oregon University before moving to Australia where he played 12 seasons in the National Basketball League (NBL) between 1983 and 1995. He then continued in Australia as a coach. Leader was a two-time NBL champion as a player and won multiple championships as a coach at the state league level.

References

  1. 1 2 "Mike Mercer Bio". GeorgiaDogs.com. Archived from the original on May 6, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 "Mike Mercer bio". gousfbulls.com. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  3. ↑ Kaltefleiter, John (March 17, 2007). "Mercer has surgery; Jackson's up next". OnlineAthens.com. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Mercer, Jackson, Brown to miss part of upcoming season". ESPN.com. October 11, 2007. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Mercer dismissed from Bulldogs basketball team". OnlineAthens.com. November 19, 2007. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  6. ↑ Schlabach, Mark (December 18, 2007). "Felton believes Georgia has more talent than ever". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  7. ↑ "TOP SEC GUARD TRANSFERS TO USF". gousfbulls.com. November 27, 2007. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  8. ↑ "South grad Mercer out for season". GwinnettDailyPost.com. December 31, 2008. Retrieved April 22, 2016.[ permanent dead link ]
  9. ↑ Auman, Greg (January 24, 2009). "South Florida Bulls basketball guards Mike Mercer and Anthony Crater arrested; Mercer's future with team in doubt". TampaBay.com. Archived from the original on May 9, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  10. ↑ Auman, Greg (January 27, 2009). "Former coach: Mercer had potential for NBA". TampaBay.com. Archived from the original on May 9, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  11. ↑ Auman, Greg (February 19, 2010). "USF Bulls' Mike Mercer makes most of second chance from coach Stan Heath". TampaBay.com. Archived from the original on May 9, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Mike Mercer Game-by-Game Stats – 2009–10". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  13. ↑ "MEN'S BASKETBALL SENIOR SALUTE: MIKE MERCER". gousfbulls.com. March 24, 2010. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  14. ↑ "HEATH CONTINUES ACADEMIC SUCCESS AT USF". gousfbulls.com. May 6, 2010. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  15. ↑ Wuest, Matthew (November 28, 2010). "Halifax Rainmen trim roster after scrimmage". MetroNews.ca. Archived from the original on December 1, 2010. Retrieved April 22, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  16. ↑ "Rainmen Win Season Opener". OurSportsCentral.com. January 2, 2011. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  17. ↑ Wuest, Matthew (February 16, 2011). "Mercer's departure leaves scoring void". MetroNews.ca. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Halifax Rainmen to Battle Rochester RazorSharks". OurSportsCentral.com. February 18, 2011. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Mike Mercer wechselt nach Weißenhorn". Schoenen-Dunk.de (in German). November 19, 2011. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  20. ↑ "2013 SUPERCATS SEABL IMPORTS REVEALED". SEABL.com.au. December 7, 2012. Archived from the original on March 12, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  21. ↑ "EAST CONFERENCE MEN PREVIEWS - GEELONG & ALBURY/WODONGA". SEABL.com.au. March 11, 2014. Archived from the original on March 28, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  22. ↑ "2013 SEABL AWARD WINNERS". SEABL.com.au. September 13, 2013. Archived from the original on March 28, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  23. ↑ Davis, Beth (October 8, 2013). "SEABL All-Star could sign with Hawks". AndTheFoul.net. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  24. ↑ "Mercer injury blow". FoxSportsPulse.com. June 23, 2014. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved April 22, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  25. ↑ Rooth, Meagan (July 9, 2014). "Supercats still trying to move on from Mike Mercer's season-ending injury". GeelongAdvertiser.com.au. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  26. ↑ Richardson, Grant (September 22, 2014). "SEABL Men's Report Cards". PickAndRoll.com.au. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.