It's still early in the recruiting process when it comes to sophomores, but it's already clear that a handful are going to have a lot of options when it comes time to choose a college. Add a 6-foot-9 power forward from the New Orleans suburbs to that short list.

Greg Monroe, who plays for Helen Cox High in Harvey, La., is drawing interest from a lot of elite programs.

"Just about everybody has asked about Greg," Monroe's AAU coach Rob Tillman said. "LSU is very interested. So are Mississippi State, Duke, Florida, Kentucky, North Carolina and Arkansas."

Monroe said that two other programs, Baylor and USC, have already offered scholarships.

It was easy to see why Monroe was getting so much attention at the Houston Kingwood Classic last weekend. Blessed with a long wingspan and a muscular frame, he showed a lot of versatility, playing on the perimeter and in the post which created a lot of matchup problems for his opponents.

"Greg's basketball I.Q. is real high and he understands the game well," Tillman said. "He's got a good package of skills and continues to get better."

Monroe said he isn't leaning anywhere yet and probably won't be taking any visits until after the summer. He hopes to focus on improving his game instead.

Monroe has been invited to the Nike All-American Classic, beginning July 5, and his AAU team, the New Orleans Panthers, plans to play in the Memorial Day Classic beginning May 27.