Kam Mercer, a standout guard from Princeton High School in Ohio, has been selected for the USA Basketball Men’s U17 National Team training camp, a prestigious invitation that places him among the nation’s elite prospects.
The 6‑foot‑3 guard, who has verbally committed to the University of Cincinnati, is slated to reclassify into the 2027 recruiting cycle and currently holds the No. 17 spot in ESPN’s national rankings for that class.
Mercer’s rise was cemented this past March when he led Princeton to its first boys basketball state championship, a 59‑28 victory over Hilliard Bradley in the Division I final at the University of Dayton Arena. He averaged 14.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.4 steals during the championship run.
A milestone for Cincinnati basketball
His commitment marks a significant moment for the Bearcats, as Mercer becomes the highest‑rated recruit the program has secured since Lance Stephenson pledged to Cincinnati in 2009. Coach Jerrod Calhoun, who received the verbal pledge, highlighted the player’s defensive instincts and playmaking ability.
On the international stage, Mercer helped the USA Basketball U16 National Team capture a gold medal at the FIBA U16 Men’s AmeriCup in Juárez, Mexico, earlier this year. The U17 World Cup, scheduled for Istanbul from June 27 to July 5, will see the United States open against France at 1:30 p.m. ET, followed by matches versus Japan and Italy in Group A.
The United States has maintained an unblemished record in the tournament’s history, entering the event with a 51‑0 all‑time win‑loss slate. With the training camp underway, Mercer joins a pool of talent that has not tasted defeat in any edition of the FIBA U17 Men’s World Cup since 2010.