Georgetown Hoyas 2008-09 scouting report: Greg Monroe brings in talent, high expectations

Freshman Greg Monroe joins the Hoyas this year

Whether he likes it or not, the departure of Roy Hibbert has caused eyes to fall on prized recruit Greg Monroe to step in and fill Hibbert's shoes. But while the old-school 7'2" Hibbert could be counted on to clog the lane, Monroe, the 6'10" big man from Gretna, LA, offers a skill set that is more reflective of the up-tempo game that more and more teams are beginning to play.

"He is totally different" said Coach John Thompson III on Georgetown's media day on Oct. 14. "I can't stress this enough, and maybe it's natural to compare him to Roy, but Greg is totally different."

Indeed, the left-handed Monroe is faster and quicker than Hibbert, and able to use his blue-chip athleticism to beat opposing big men down the floor. He is a good leaper with very good timing around the rim, and was an elite shotblocker in high school. He can score from down low on either side of the block, but also has developed a solid mid-range jumpshot, which with some progression will eventually extend out to the three point line.

Monroe's development around the three point line will be critical in terms of what type of player he will be for the Hoyas. He will be able to score on Big East opponents and can finish in transistion, but if he wants to be a frontcourt player, then spending time shooting the three ball will decrease his field goal attempts down low. If he's a small forward, then he will need to improve his ballhandling and quickness in order to be able to stay on the court.

Currently, the Hoyas need Monroe to fill a frontcourt spot, which means that he will need to use the weight room to add more muscle to his 226 pound frame. And whatever role Monroe finishes his Hoya career playing, Thompson believes that his prized recruit will use every available resource to make it happen.

"He's coming in with the mind that he wants to learn. People talk about 'Oh, he's good, he's great, he's good, he's great,' but at the same time he's willing to learn more no matter who is talking to him, from [senior walk-on] Bryon Jansen all the way up to Big Coach Thompson [Sr.]. He takes from all them and he does what people ask him to do and that's what I like about him."