2003-04: Played in 39 games for the San Antonio Spurs… Averaged 5.0 ppg and 1.3 rpg in 13.2 mpg…Shot 42.7% from the field and 76.5% from the line…Scored in double figures nine times, including three consecutive games from 1/5-1/9… Notched a season-high 14 points twice (at Denver, 10/29/03 & vs. Washington on 1/6/04)…Grabbed a season-high six rebounds vs. Indiana on 1/10/04…Placed on injured list from 11/8-11/25 (eight games) with left peroneal tenosynovitis… Recorded 11 DNP-CDs…Waived by San Antonio on 2/27/04.
2002-03:
Appeared in 72 games in his first full season with the Pacers … averaged 7.7 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 23.2 minutes … shot .409 (244-597) from the field and .802 (65-81) from the line … hit 3-of-16 (.188) from three-point land … earned three starts and averaged 8.8 points as a starter … scored in double-figures 28 times (Pacers were 20-8 in those games) … had a season-high 22 points (7-11 FG, 8-8 FT) at Minnesota on 11/16 … finished with 20 points in a starting role vs. the Clippers on 12/1 … logged a season-high 45 minutes at Chicago on 12/21 and finished with 14 points and a season-best 9 rebounds …made 25-of-26 free throws to end the season … missed three games due to injury (two with a strained lower back and one with a scratched right eye) … logged seven DNP-CDs … appeared in all six games of the Pacers First Round series versus Boston … the Pacers leading bench scorer, averaging 6.5 points per game … in Games 3, 4 and 5 of the series averaged 12.3 points in 38.3 minutes.
2001-02:
Spent the first seven games after being acquired by the Pacers on the injured list with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee...At the time of his acquisition from Chicago, had spent 11 games on the Bulls’ injured list...Suffered the injury in a game at Miami, 1/22...Prior to the injury, had scored 10+ points in 27 straight games, including 18 points vs. the Pacers, 1/21...Made his first appearance in a Pacers’ uniform at Memphis, 3/7, going seven minutes without a point (0-1 FG), a rebound or an assist...Following four straight DNP-CDs, made his second appearance in the Pacers’ win vs. Atlanta, 3/17 and had two points, a bench-high three assists, three rebounds and a blocked shot in 15 minutes...Averaging 3.4 rpg for the season, had five or more rebounds 15 times in 53 games...Missed three games from 3/31 to 4/4 with lower back spasms...At the time of his acquisition from the Bulls, 2/19, was Chicago’s leading scorer with an average of 16.8 ppg...Scored 20+ points 12 times for the Bulls, including a season-best 31 points at Milwaukee, 11/21...His one rebound against the Cavs, 12/18, was the 1,000th rebound of his career...With his 33 minutes vs. Minnesota, 12/22, he passed the 10,000-minutes mark in his NBA career and ended the season with 10,841 minutes in his career...Indiana’s game with Toronto, 4/10, was the 300th appearance of his career.
Playoffs: The Pacers’ leading scorer off the bench, he averaged 7.8 ppg and shot 18-36 FGS in the First Round series with the Nets. ... In his first two career postseason appearances he totaled two points. However, in Game Three against the Nets, 4/26, he scored 10 points on 5-9 FGS and handed out two assists with three rebounds in 27 minutes. ... He had his best game since joining the Pacers (at that time) with 20 points in the double-overtime loss of Game Five, 5/2. In that game, he hit 10-16 FGS while logging 42 minutes. That was his first 40-minute game with the Pacers.
2000-01:
Appeared in 61 games, making 61 starts. ... Averaged career highs of 19.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists in a career-best 41.6 minutes (fourth in the NBA). ... Scoring average would have ranked 27th the NBA had he enough games to qualify. ... Led the team in scoring 26 times and assists in 14 games. ... Surpassed 20 or more points on 26 occasions and 30 or more eight times. ... Scored a career-high 39 points (16-25 FG, 2-2 3-pt. FG, 5-5 FT) to accompany 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals on January 23 versus Portland. ... Recorded two double-doubles, both versus Orlando (23 points, 10 rebounds on November 9 and 18 points, 10 assists on March 20). ... Prior to this season, had compiled only one double-double. ... Led the Bulls to a victory over the San Antonio Spurs, scoring 33 points (13-22 FG, 7-8 FT) on December 28. ... Named CDW Chicago Bulls Player of the Month for December after starting 14 games, averaging 43.1 minutes, a team-high 22.7 points, 2.36 steals, 3.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists, shooting .450 from the floor and .803 from the free throw line. ... Averaged 44.1 minutes in January to accompany 21.0 points, 3.1 assists and 3.5 rebounds. ... Played a career-high 58 minutes, scoring 27 points (12-32 FG, 0-3 3-pt. FG, 3-4 FT) and grabbing 6 rebounds, in triple-OT contest at Charlotte on January 9. ... In three games versus the Boston Celtics, the team that drafted him out of Kentucky, Mercer averaged a team-high 24.3 points, shooting a blistering .557 from the floor, with 5.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists. ... Ranked tied for fifth among Eastern Conference starting shooting guards in scoring, behind Allen Iverson (31.1 - 1st in the NBA), Jerry Stackhouse (29.8 - 2nd), Vince Carter (27.6 - 5th), Ray Allen (22.0) and Jason Terry (19.7). ... In 47 games prior to the All-Star break, averaged 42.1 minutes, 20.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.47 steals. ... Missed one game with the flu (Dec. 5 at Minnesota). ... Missed 10 games with a left ankle sprain (Feb. 19-Mar. 10). ... Missed 10 games with right ankle tendinitis (Apr. 3-18).
1999-2000:
Mercer netted 27 points in a 106-100 win over Toronto on 4/19 ... Scored a game-high 22 points in a 103-97 win over New Jersey on 3/31 ... Totaled 26 points in an 89-85 loss at Philadelphia on 3/19 ... Netted 27 points in a 103-94 win over Seattle on 2/29 ... Traded to the Orlando Magic on 2/1, along with Chauncey Billups and Johnny Taylor, in exchange for Tariq Abdul-Wahad, Chris Gatling and a lottery-protected, future first round draft pick ... Recorded 25 points and 6 assists in a 103-93 loss to Seattle on 1/12 ... Notched 20 points and 6 rebounds in a 128-105 win over the Clippers on 12/28 ... Scored 25 points and snared 8 rebounds in an 86-84 win over San Antonio on 12/18 ... Registered 25 points and 6 rebounds in a 116-106 win over Sacramento on 12/16 ... Posted 26 points in a 106-87 loss in San Antonio on 11/27 ... Notched a game-high 27 points in a 114-105 victory over Minnesota on 11/26 ... Tallied a game-high 30 points and snared 7 boards in a 102-95 loss to New York on 11/16 ... Scored 31 points (11-17 FG, 5-8 3 FG, 4-4 FT) in a 109-94 loss in Vancouver on 11/6 ... Signed as a free agent by the Bulls (August 2, 2000).
1998-99:
He improved on his rookies stats in virtually every major category in 1998-99, when he was Boston's second-leading scorer and its leader in minutes per game.
Mercer registered 23 points, a career and team-high 10 rebounds and 4 assists against the Charlotte Hornets on 5/5 ... Posted a game-high 24 points, 3 rebounds and 3 steals in a 103-89 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on 4/12 ... Totaled a game-high 29 points (13-25 FG), 7 assists, 6 steals and 3 rebounds against the Orlando Magic on 4/5 ... Recorded a game-high 24 points, 3 rebounds and 3 steals against the Indiana Pacers on 3/28 ... Registered a game-high 26 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists against the Chicago Bulls on 3/21 ... Posted 22 points (8-15 FG, 5-6 FT), 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals against the Toronto Raptors on 3/7 ... Totaled a career-high 35 points (15-24 FG, 5-6 FT) and 6 rebounds in a 102-94 victory over the Denver Nuggets on 3/5 ... Recorded a game-high 22 points (9-16 FG, 4-4 FT) and 4 assists against the Cleveland Cavaliers on 3/2 ... Registered a game-high 24 points and 8 rebounds against the Sacramento Kings on 2/16. On August 3, 1999, Mercer was traded along with forward Popeye Jones and center Dwayne Schintzius to the Denver Nuggets for forwards Danny Fortson and Eric Williams, guard Eric Washington and a future draft choice.
1997-98:
Moving to the Celtics along with his college coach, Rick Pitino, Mercer stepped into the NBA as a starter and finished second among all rookies in total points. The second of Boston s first-round picks in 1997 (Chauncey Billups was taken third overall), Mercer played in 80 games for the Celtics in his rookie year and started 61 of them. He got better as the season wore on, scoring in double figures in 31 of 35 games following the All-Star break and the final 14 games of the season. For the season he averaged 15.3 points per game and was voted to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. ... Posted 22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals against the Cleveland Cavaliers on 4/14 ... Totaled 21 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals in a 102-92 victory over the New York Knicks on 4/5 ... Scored a team-high 23 points in an 82-76 victory over the New Jersey Nets on 3/27 ... Registered 24 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists against the Miami Heat on 3/25 ... Recorded 24 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals in a 108-90 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on 3/22 ... Posted a season-high 31 points, 6 steals, 4 rebounds and 3 assists against the Houston Rockets on 3/19 ... Totaled 24 points, 5 rebounds and 4 steals in a 108-98 victory over the Washington Wizards on 3/6 ... Registered a game-high 24 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds in a 120-88 victory over the Golden Warriors on 2/27 ... Scored a game-high 28 points and grabbed 3 rebounds against the Portland Trail Blazers on 2/22 ... Recorded 20 points, 6 rebounds, 5 steals and 4 assists against the Golden State Warriors on 2/15 ... Posted a team-high 24 points and 5 rebounds against the Utah Jazz on 2/12 ... Totaled 8 points and 4 rebounds in the Schick Rookie Game during the 1998 NBA All-Star Weekend in New York ... Registered a team-high 21 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists against the Indiana Pacers on 1/18 ... Recorded a game-high 28 points (13-21 FG), 8 rebounds and 3 steals in a 102-96 win over the Charlotte Hornets on 12/23 ... Posted 26 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists against the Phoenix Suns on 11/28 ... Totaled a team-high 23 points (9-14 FG, 4-5 FT), 4 rebounds and 3 steals against the Orlando Magic on 11/2 ... Registered 11 points and 5 rebounds, in his NBA debut, in a 92-85 victory over the Chicago Bulls on 10/31
COLLEGE:
Played two seasons at Kentucky … entered the NBA Draft following his sophomore season … made two straight appearances in the Final Four … as a freshman averaged 8.0 points and 2.9 rebounds as the Wildcats won the 1996 NCAA Championship … had 20 points against Syracuse in the national title game and was named to the Final Four All-Tournament team … the unanimous choice as the 1997 SEC Player of the Year as a sophomore, averaging 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists … earned First Team All-American honors … named the Most Outstanding Player in both the 1997 SEC Tournament and the 1997 NCAA West Regional … led Kentucky to their second straight national championship game, averaging 16.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in the 1997 NCAA Tournament … teammates at Kentucky included Derek Anderson, Tony Delk, Jamaal Magloire, Walter McCarty, Nazr Mohammed, Scott Padgett, Mark Pope and Antoine Walker.
