LaVon Mercer facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 13, 1959 Metter, Georgia, U.S. |
| Nationality | American / Israeli |
| High school | Metter (Metter, Georgia) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
| Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Georgia (1976–1980) |
| NBA Draft | 1980 / Round: 3 / Pick: 60th overall |
| Selected by the San Antonio Spurs | |
| Pro career | 1981–1995 |
| Career history | |
| 1981–1988 | Hapoel Tel Aviv |
| 1988–1995 | Maccabi Tel Aviv |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
LaVon Mercer (Hebrew: לבן מרסר; born January 13, 1959) is a former professional basketball player. He played as a center, which is usually the tallest player on the team. LaVon Mercer is known for his amazing skills in high school and college. He later became a star player in Israel.
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Early Life and Background
LaVon Mercer was born in Metter, Georgia, in 1959. He faced challenges early in life but showed great strength. He grew to be 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) tall and weighed 220 pounds (100 kg) during his playing career. Today, he has three children: two daughters, Dionn and Gabriell, and a son, Alexander.
High School Basketball Star
Mercer went to Metter High School. His teammates called him "Tree" because he was so tall. In 1975, he set a state record by getting 41 rebounds in one game!
During his senior year (1975–76), he was incredible. He averaged 37.6 points, 30.1 rebounds, and 12 blocked shots per game. He was named the Georgia High School Player of the Year. He also earned the title of a Parade All-American. This meant he was one of the best high school players in the entire country.
His high school coach, Coach West, supported him greatly. LaVon's jersey number was retired by the high school in 2014. This was the first time the school had ever honored a player in this way.
College Career at Georgia
LaVon Mercer played college basketball for the University of Georgia from 1976 to 1980. He played for the Bulldogs team.
He was a standout player for the Bulldogs. He became the school's all-time leader in blocked shots with 327 blocks. He also holds the record for the best field-goal percentage in Georgia's history, at .602. This means he made over 60% of his shots!
In 1979 and 1980, he was named Third-team All-SEC. This showed he was one of the top players in a very competitive college league. He also had the best career field goal percentage in the SEC Tournament for any SEC player.
Professional Basketball in Israel
After college, the San Antonio Spurs picked LaVon Mercer in the 1980 NBA draft. However, he decided to play professional basketball in Israel instead.
He played for 14 seasons in the Israeli Basketball Premier League. He played for two major teams: Hapoel Tel Aviv (1981–1988) and Maccabi Tel Aviv (1988–1995).
Mercer helped his teams win many championships. He won 6 Israeli Championships and 5 Israeli State Cups. In the 1980–81 season, he was even named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP). People sometimes called him the "Israeli Michael Jordan" because of his amazing skills.
LaVon Mercer became an Israeli citizen. He also played for the Israeli national basketball team. He represented Israel in the 1986 FIBA World Championship and the 1987 Eurobasket Championship. In 2006, he was honored by the Israeli Consulate and became an official goodwill ambassador for Israel.
Life After Basketball
After his successful career in Israel, LaVon Mercer returned to the United States in the mid-1990s. In 1994, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Behavioral Sciences.
Later, he worked as the women's varsity basketball coach and Associate Athletic Director at Spelman College in Georgia. He then started a new career in the insurance field.
See also
In Spanish: LaVon Mercer para niños
