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• Bright prospect who has the potential to emerge from Georgia's crowded backcourt.
• Rangy, athletic point guard with plenty of high-profile experience already.
High School (South Gwinnett):
• Rated the No. 5 point guard in the country by Rivals.com, a national recruiting and scouting service.
• Also considered the No. 22 prospect overall by the same service.
• Averaged 19.8 points, 8.1 assists and 6.0 rebounds as a senior, helping South Gwinnett to a 28-3 record and the quarterfinals of the Georgia Class 5A state tournament in 2005.
• The Comets held a top-10 national ranking throughout most of the season.
• Averaged 18.1 points as a junior, when South Gwinnett went 31-2 and won the AAAAA championship.
• Backcourt teammate, both at SGHS and for the AAU's Georgia Stars, with would-have-been UGA signee Louis Williams, who opted instead to turn professional.
• Scored 19 points in the Jordan Classic, a post-season all-star game that featured many of the nation's top prep seniors.
Personal:
• Full name: Michael Anthony Mercer, Jr.
• Birthdate: September 29, 1986
• Birthplace: Anaheim, Calif.
• Parents: Michael Mercer, Sr. & LaShonda Mercer
• Had worn jersey #3 his entire playing career until the end of his sophomore season in high school, when he missed a key free throw during the state tournament. Thereafter, he vowed to become twice the player he previously was and doubled his jersey number as a symbol of his dedication.
• Also participated in football and baseball.
• Favorite sport other than basketball: football
• Sport I've never done but would like to try: rugby
• Something else I've never done but would like to try: rock climbing
• Favorite basketball player: Michael Jordan
• Goals in his first year at UGA: Freshman All-SEC and, hopefully, an NCAA Tournament berth.
