Top 5 Boston Celtics draft busts in franchise history

2. Ron Mercer

In 1997, the Boston Celtics selected Ron Mercer out of the University of Kentucky with the sixth pick in the NBA draft.

There makeover to the Kentucky Wildcats of the NBA was complete.

Led by head coach Rick Pitino, Mercer joined former Wildcats Walker and Walter McCarty to form a core of young talent that was supposed to carry the Celtics into the next millennium.

Mercer lasted two seasons in Boston and the return to glory had to wait to materialize a few more years.

Mercer’s rookie year was outstanding, averaging 15.3 points on 45.8% shooting. He also averaged 1.6 steals  per game while making the first-team all-rookie team.

In a lockout-shortened second season, he averaged 17 points per game. Mercer, though, was losing playing time to an up-and-coming Pierce. So Mercer — who was likely due a large contract after his third season — was traded before that could even happen.

A top-ten pick, Mercer can be considered a bust with Boston because you’d like this high of a draft pick to last more than two years with a franchise. A 55-77 record while he was in town also didn’t help.