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That Magic Touch Kentucky’s Mercer Goes For Second National Title

Eddy Landreth Charlotte Observer

Kentucky forward Ron Mercer tried to emulate former Michigan State and Los Angeles Lakers guard Earvin “Magic” Johnson as a young man growing up in Nashville, Tenn.

Tonight, Mercer will get a chance to match Johnson’s feat of winning the national championship before he turns pro after his sophomore season.

Mercer can even say he did his hero one better if Kentucky (35-4) defeats Arizona (24-9).

This would be Mercer’s second consecutive title. Only Duke (1991-92) has won back-to-back titles since UCLA’s run of 10 championships in 12 years (1964-75).

“I dreamed of winning the national championship,” Mercer said Sunday. “In high school, I made it to the championship game, and we didn’t win it. In AAU ball, we made it to the national championship game several times and didn’t win it.

“I was really hungry for a national championship. A lot of people want to accomplish individual things, but if you don’t win a national championship, you don’t get all the credit you deserve.”

Mercer is getting his and more. As a freshman, he won the most outstanding player award by scoring 20 points in last year’s national championship victory over Syracuse.

This year, he is a consensus All-American. He was the SEC Player of the Year. And he is the leader on a team that has clearly overachieved.

“We have a team that has as much heart and intensity as any team I’ve coached,” coach Rick Pitino said. “This is the most fun I’ve ever had as a coach because they’ve all made it that way.”

What makes this Kentucky team so special is it has a chance to repeat after losing four prominent members of last year’s team to the NBA draft.

Duke’s Blue Devils won their two titles with essentially the same team. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Arizona forward Ron Dickerson paid Mercer, who averages 18.3 points and 5.2 rebounds, the ultimate compliment.

“If I could choose anybody in the country to play like,” Dickerson said, “I would play like Mercer. He’s a great player. He’s ready for the NBA. He has the whole package. He can dribble. He can shoot. He can pass.”