Monday, September 24, 2012

Pacers’ Roy Hibbert and Pistons’ Greg Monroe: latest wave of Georgetown centers



Georgetown is back. Well it’s really not the college basketball powerhouse it used to be back in the days of Patrick Ewing, Dikembe Mutumbo and Alonzo Mourning but it has produced two of the NBA’s best up-and-coming centers: the Detroit Pistons’ Greg Monroe and the Indiana Pacers’ Roy Hibbert.

Hibbert is already an All-Star and has been a playoff participant as a member of the Pacers for the past two seasons. While he isn’t the most consistent scorer, he has proven to be a reliable rebounder and has been their defensive anchor with his impressive shot-blocking ability.


Monroe’s Pistons haven’t been as successful on the court as Hibbert’s Pacers but Monroe has greatly expanded his game during his two seasons in the league.

And if sources are correct, Monroe will be an even greater offensive force in his third season with the Pistons. Monroe has spent the entire off-season working on his conditioning, footwork and over-all game.

He spent time with a trainer early during the off-season then got in some work first with Kevin Love for two weeks in Los Angeles before going back to Georgetown to work on his footwork with another former Georgetown Hoya, Othella Harrington.

Monroe also played in the Summer League in Orlando so he could get comfortable with some of his new teammates and participated in Tim Grgurich’s camp in Las Vegas. Detroit’s coaching staff hope that all the hard work Monroe has put in will translate to him having a big season this year.

Or better yet, a big season for the Pistons. The Pistons have missed the playoffs the past three seasons and Monroe provides their biggest hope of reaching the playoffs this upcoming season.

And with the Pistons and Pacers both in the same division, having two Georgetown centers fighting for playoff position year in and year out could be epic. Almost a throwback to the Mourning-Ewing battles during the 90’s.

It would also be great to have the center position return to the level of prominence it once endured. The only players that currently receive any mention when centers are brought up are Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum. It’s time for some new blood at the position.

And Georgetown may have just provided the answer to the NBA’s hole in the middle.


Roosevelt Hall is an NFL Blogger for The Sport Mentalist and an NBA Blogger for The Sport Mentalist 2. He is also a Sports Reporter for Pro Sports Lives. He can be contacted at sportmentalist@yahoo.com and be sure to follow him on Twitter @sportmentalist.

 
Also check out these stories:

5 players besides Amar’e Stoudemire who should train with Olajuwon

Pistons’ Greg Monroe ready for a breakout year

Pacers’ Roy Hibbert at a crossroads in his career

 

 




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