Peach Jam profile: Greg Monroe

Greg Monroe is wired a little differently than most players. The 6-foot-10, 226-pound forward from Helen Cox High School in Gretna, La., says he is just like everyone else his age though. Don't believe him.

"I'm just a regular teenager," the 16-year-old Monroe insists.

He is just a regular teenager that carries a 4.3 grade point average on a 5-point scale. He's also a regular teenager that was one of the top five players at the Nike All-America camp as an underclassman and dominated the 16 and under field at the Peach Jam last week.

He is also a regular teenager that wants to dive into psychology as soon as he enrolls in college.

"I've always been enamored with the human mind, about why people think what they think and do what they do," Monroe said. "My mind is just basketball."

Believe him when he says that. He has been playing mind tricks on the opposition all summer long.

Monroe was outstanding at the Nike All-America camp and just as dominant against his own age group at the Nike Peach Jam. There simply wasn't an answer for him in the 16 and under division. Monroe said his confidence is at an all-time high thanks to his play in Indianapolis.

"It was one of the best times of my life," Monroe said. "Everything was clicking for me. Every move I was making was working. I was focused when I came up there and I told myself that I was going to be the best player up there. I think I did as good as I could have possibly been.

"I knew the opportunity that I had going into the camp so I wanted to take advantage of that and show off all of my skills on the court."

He averaged 21 points, 13.3 rebounds, 2.7 blocks and 2.7 assists a game in Augusta. Monroe said he is playing to win and playing to improve.

"I understand that this right here is just a seed for my future," Monroe said. "For me and my future, I want to be in the NBA. I want to be the best NBA player that I can be. I come out here and work and play as hard as I can."

A number of high-major programs are hoping to lure the future five-star forward to their respective campus with hopes of preparing him for the next level and winning a National Championship.

"You see them on TV. It's a lot different when they come see you play," Monroe said. "They want you to come play for their program. I've gotten used to it because they've been coming to my games since last summer. As long as I perform this summer, I expect them to be there. I've been playing great this summer and they want great players."

Monroe said LSU is recruiting him harder than anyone else while Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, Louisville, Texas, Mississippi State and Georgia Tech are all lining up to make their case. Monroe says there is no early leader.

"I'm not real interested in anybody more than the other," Monroe said. "There are a lot of schools coming at me.

"I'm taking my time. A lot of people are telling me to take all five of my visits and I'll probably do that. I'm getting a lot of input from college players that have gone through this before me. I call them and ask for help."

His decision will be beyond basketball. What else would you expect from an A student?

"It is just as important as basketball, maybe even more important," Monroe said. "You go to college to get an education. Education is my first priority."

He doesn't sound like every other teenager, does he?