CINCINNATI — Kam Mercer smiled when he saw an example of his own Panini trading card Thursday morning.
The Princeton High School basketball star and University of Cincinnati verbal commit took a few moments to discuss some topics as he hosted the Kam Mercer Youth Basketball ProCamp at Fifth Third Arena.
Event officials said 125 youth campers were in attendance with the camp instruction staff that included current and former high school coaches and former UC players.
After discussing UC and his upcoming senior season for the reigning Division I state champion Princeton Vikings, Mercer saw an oversized example of his 2026 Panini Prizm card.
The trading card product is expected to be released within the next two months, according to Tone Stakes, Head of Basketball Licensing for Panini America.
Mercer, 16, signed a multi-year, multimillion-dollar deal with Panini America that was announced in July 2025.
Mercer has signed autographs on stickers for cards for Panini, but he said Thursday morning was the first time he saw himself on a standalone trading card.
“Just to see me on a card means a lot,” Mercer told WCPO 9 Sports. “Me and my Princeton jersey [the school name is airbrushed out of the card] so it’s pretty cool to see they are keeping up with me, staying in touch with me and still updated with me.”
Mercer, a 4-star player and ranked the nation’s No. 2 shooting guard in the 2027 class by the 247 Sports Composite, hasn’t collected cards over the years. But he knows how much card collecting means to his father, Craig Mercer, who has numerous baseball, basketball and football cards.
“He has every brand. He’s super into it,” Kam Mercer said.
Kam Mercer, who verbally committed to UC in May, smiled when he held the example of the Prizm card.
“This is my first time seeing myself actually on a card that I’m partnered with Panini,” he said. “So it’s pretty cool just to see it. It’s not normal to see stuff like this. So I’m definitely going to keep one for myself.”
Kam Mercer, who is ranked No. 36 nationally and No. 1 in Ohio in the 2027 class by ESPN, said he stays in contact with UC coach Jerrod Calhoun. He is looking forward to showing his improvement from this summer during the upcoming Princeton season.
“We’re playing a lot of prep schools; we’re playing a harder schedule this year,” Kam Mercer said. “We’re not ducking any smoke. We’re willing to play anybody. I think that’s just pretty cool to see us playing everybody outside of the GMC (Greater Miami Conference) to see how good we really are.”
The Ohio High School Athletic Association high school boys basketball season officially begins Nov. 30.
