Mercer displaying his 'D' game

[Kori Ellis]

Nets: Mercer displaying his 'D' game
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
BY DAVE D'ALESSANDRO
Star-Ledger Staff

http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/inde...1482262390.xml


Whether it comes from a rookie trying to get noticed or a veteran trying to restore his career, that tired phrase about "doing whatever it takes" is something most coaches have come to expect, ignore and -- for the less sympathetic -- chuckle at.

But there was Ron Mercer on Saturday night, knowing his team needed a stop to win an intrasquad scrimmage, diving on the floor to create a turnover on the final play.

And there he was again yesterday, in another must-stop sequence, pressuring Zoran Planinic into a turnover at one end while giving up his body, and hitting a gorgeous baseline reverse under Jason Collins at the other end to clinch another game.

Lawrence Frank's eyebrows were up. "No one takes the ball from Zoran," the Nets coach observed.

"Ron Mercer has probably dived on the floor more than anybody in the entire training camp," Richard Jefferson added.

It might be high time to take Mercer's pledge seriously.

The free-agent swingman can't fool Frank, who has known him since he was a junior in high school, so when Mercer told him he'd be the most motivated guy in this camp, the coach believed him. Of course, he has a few good reasons to be hungry: This is his seventh team in eight years, he was cut for the first time in his career last spring by the Spurs, the sore ankles that made him a bit player in San Antonio are strong again and he has finally found a team -- and a coach -- who are relying on him to have the best season of his career.

"Not being able to do anything last year just gave me new energy," said the 28-year-old Mercer, who averaged only 13 minutes in 39 games last year. "I'm coming in here with a new start, new coach, new players, knowing I have an opportunity to start and play a lot of minutes. Like I said earlier, I feel like I have a chip on my shoulder. I'm playing like it's my last opportunity. And never take that for granted. This is the year I feel like I can do that."

His coach believes him, because he knows him. As an assistant at Tennessee, Frank recruited Mercer as a junior at Good Pasture High School in Nashville, and again at Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) the following year.

"We Federal-Expressed him every day for 365 days," Frank recalled. "A different letter every day."

Mercer chose Kentucky, but the two remained cordial as they moved into the NBA. Frank saw his promise in Boston, sympathized with his journeyman period in Denver and Orlando, applauded his resurgence in Chicago, recognized his sacrifice in Indiana, and wrote off his cameo in San Antonio. Then he urged the Nets to grab Mercer for a two-year, $3.3 million commitment.

"Lawrence knows what kind of player I am, what I'm capable of doing," Mercer said. "And knowing the opportunity here, that's all I really wanted. I can prove the rest myself."

"The thing with Ron is, we have a mutual respect," Frank said. "I'm just going to tell him the way I see it and when you've been in a situation like Ron, where you've been with so many teams, you want to be in a position where you want to be dealt with straightforwardly."

And so far, Mercer's play has been everything his coach expected. He is fighting it out with Rodney Buford for the starting two-guard position, but Frank foresees a possibility that he plays as many as three positions. The Nets know Mercer can be a consistent scorer -- he averaged nearly 20 points in Chicago one year. The one area in which he must excel, however, is defense, which was Kerry Kittles' strength.

"He definitely has a chance to be a very, very good defender," Frank said. "He's been giving his best effort. In 10 practices, he's done a very good job."

"I put my defense ahead of offense right now, to better myself," Mercer said. "Not to compare with what other guys have done, but it's something I have to focus on, and it's something I've worked on all camp."

[AlamoSpursFan]

"Not being able to do anything last year just gave me new energy," said the 28-year-old Mercer, who averaged only 13 minutes in 39 games last year. "I'm coming in here with a new start, new coach, new players, knowing I have an opportunity to start and play a lot of minutes. Like I said earlier, I feel like I have a chip on my shoulder. I'm playing like it's my last opportunity. And never take that for granted. This is the year I feel like I can do that."

Isn't this pretty much the same he spewed (and I bought) before last year's camp???