INDIANAPOLIS – If you were in the
National Institute of Fitness and Sport gymnasium Saturday night and feeling a
little groggy after watching Nike All-America Camp action since 9 a.m. (like at
least one person I know fairly well), a nice pick-me-up came in the form of a
6-foot-10 junior-to-be from Gretna, La.
And the performance of Greg Monroe was more jolting than any espresso that could have been bought
anywhere in Downtown Indy would have been.
The 226-pound lefthander (and get
ready to cue the Lamar Odom comparisons very shortly) was the standout
during the evening session of games, even while on the floor at the same time as
Top Five Class of 2007 prospect Kyle Singler made his camp debut after
arriving from Medford, Ore., earlier in the day.
With Mike Krzyzewski (Duke)
and Lorenzo Romar (Washington), two of the head coaches who would be
downright giddy if the 6-foot-8 Singler – who helped lead the Romar-coached U.S.
18-under squad to a gold medal in San Antonio a week ago – was to sign one of
their letters of intents in November, in the stands, Monroe was the guy who had
what was left of the crowd buzzing when play wrapped up about 10
o’clock.
Monroe, who may have as many
offensive skills as any player his size in high school, regardless of grade
level, led his Illinois team to a narrow victory over the Wake Forest squad that
had played without Singler during its first five games played since Thursday
afternoon.
And disregard any notion that might
exist that the 226-pound Monroe is a “center” prospect. He’s much more a player
in the mold of the Los Angeles Lakers’ Lamar Odom (another southpaw with
a comparable frame at the same age) – a player every bit as dangerous to the
opposition whether he’s in the low post or has the ball in his hands a foot
behind the top of the key, initiating his team’s offense.
Monroe put a big part of his skills
resume on display Saturday night, even while being checked by a determined
defender – Singler – through a big part of the second half.
Follow shots in traffic . . .
mid-range jumpers off the pass or dribble . . . coast-to-coast drives and
buckets or passes that led to buckets . . . and, just as impressively, poise
down the stretch . . . Monroe did it all while (intentionally or not) building a
sturdy case for anyone who’d like to tout him as the No. 1 prospect in the Class
of 2008 when the bulk of the summer camp and tournament tour wraps up at the end
of the month.
And what of Singler?
After a performance in San Antonio
that many believe was the U.S. team’s most consistently outstanding during the
four games played in the tournament, Singler looked every bit the part of a guy
who hadn’t played against anyone who could really challenge him for the
better part of a week.
He caught that challenge Saturday
night.
Singler was a tad out of synch – he
never got into any sort of shooting rhythm – but did enough to remind those who
have watched him multiple times why he is the best “combo-forward” in this
class. He’s got the savvy (at both ends of the floor) of a 30-year-old who has
been collecting NBA paychecks for eight or nine years.
Those getting their first look at
him Saturday night who weren’t ready to buy into the hype might be more willing
to jump on the bandwagon after Sunday’s action, including the all-star game that
wraps up the camp Sunday night.
*More on Monroe: Earlier in
the afternoon, he was almost as impressive while matched against another
elite-level member of the Class of 2008, 6-10 Xavier Gibson of Dothan,
Ala.
Gibson doesn’t have nearly Monroe’s
perimeter skill. But he continually beats people to the glass with his “length”
(one of the basketball catchwords of the 21st century), quickness and
determination.
And I’m sure there are those who
would put up a persuasive argument in support of 6-9 Samardo Samuels
(Newark St. Benedict’s Prep) being the best “big” junior-to-be in the
camp.
Get ready for the comparisons to
another Los Angeles NBA standout – this time, the Clippers’ Elton Brand –
to begin in earnest for Samuels. As long as he remembers he’s a power forward
and doesn’t start daydreaming that he should be playing on the “wing”, Samuels
will merit those comparisons.
*I watched Chris Allen
(Norcross, Ga.) extensively at the Pangos All-America Camp in Cypress, Calif.,
last month.
And I had long looks at point guard
Kalin Lucas (Orchard Lake, Mich.) and wing Durrell Summers
(Redford, Mich.) in both the 3-on-3 competition as well as afternoon and evening
session of games Saturday.
All three have committed to
Michigan State and if each signs with the Spartans in November, it’s difficult
to envision a program having a group of perimeter-oriented freshmen any better
than Tom Izzo will have available to him in the fall of 2007.