With freshly shorn mohawks, Carlos Monroe and Paul Graham III would stand out just about anywhere. But it’s not like the two juniors need to do anything special to their hair to be noticed on a basketball court. Unaided, their games draw plenty of attention.
Monroe, a sturdy 6-8 power forward and Graham, a slender 6-4 guard are the present and future of FAU basketball.
On the court, the two are developing a reputation as forces to be reckoned with. Graham doubled his point per game (ppg) total in his sophomore year, rising to an average of 14.1. He scored in double figures in 26 of 29 games, often slashing to the basket or spotting up for open shots created by double-teams on Monroe.
Monroe’s 18.4 ppg was second on the team to departed senior playmaker DeAndre Rice’s 20.5. A dominant post player and a versatile swingman, Monroe and Graham will be expected to fill in the scoring gap left by the loss of Rice.
“Both Carlos and Paul had great years last year,” says assistant coach Mike Balado. “Those two anchor our team.”
“We’ve been playing together for three years now, so we have a feel for where the other is going to be on the court,” Graham says before a morning practice as he stretches his arms, mostly covered in tattoos from his wrists to his shoulders.
Both natives of Philadelphia, Monroe and Graham’s relationship stretches off the court, from tattoos to double dates to family barbeques.
“I didn’t have any tattoos when I came here. My first three or four I all got with him,” Monroe says as he admires his own ink, then shoots a glance at Graham.
The “Philly Boys,” (also known as ‘Los and Snoop) are the best of friends. Both were recruited by former FAU coach Matt Doherty and have lived together in the dorms for the past two years, before moving into separate apartments this year.
“We aren’t that far apart, it’s OK,” Monroe says.
During their time at FAU they have been virtually inseparable, even getting their hair cut the same way. For last season’s playoff run they shaved their uniform numbers into their hair. For the start of this season they decided to go with the mohawks.
“It is a junior thing,” Monroe says. “We only have three juniors on the team and [point guard] Carderro [Nwoji] got it and the next day Paul got it and I didn’t want to be the oddball so I got it.”
The fresh cuts were just in time for a season-opening road trip to Rhode Island and Boston College (BC) where the twosome was back on track for another stellar season, even though FAU lost both games. Monroe led the way at Rhode Island with 22 points and nine rebounds. At BC, Graham was second on the team with 14 points, including two three-pointers in a 68-62 loss.
Even though both grew up in Philadelphia, Graham and Monroe are from opposite sides of town and didn’t know each other before coming to FAU. They never even played against each other in high school.
Monroe came to Florida during his junior year of high school when, in a “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” kind of scenario, his mother was sick of problems at school and sent him to live with his father. Once he arrived in Cape Coral, Monroe was an instant success on the court.
“No one in the Sun Belt can handle Carlos,” says senior forward Derrick Simmons, who has watched Monroe and Graham mature from scrawny freshmen in 2005.
After high school and one year at Philadelphia’s Lutheran Christian Academy, a prep school specifically aimed at cultivating basketball talent, Graham made his way to Boca Raton. He left behind his family in Philadelphia and has been adopted by Monroe, who has family just a few hours away on the west coast.
“My family is back up north, so I go to his house for Thanksgiving and barbeques. Because I can’t go home, that’s my family away from home,” Graham says.
Monroe and Graham even take their significant others out on double dates.
“We usually go out together with our girlfriends. I let ‘Los pick the restaurants,” Graham says of his heftier pal. “Our favorite one right now is Ichiban.”
Well-fed on hibachi and barbecue, the two are set to make quite an impact in leading roles for the Owls this season.
They return for their third season together, looking to continue their separate ascensions to basketball stardom. Both were recognized as top freshmen in the Atlantic Sun Conference two years ago, the Owls final season in that conference. Last spring, Monroe was named to the All-Sun Belt Second-Team, a high honor for a sophomore but arguably a snub because he had stats worthy of the First-Team. The Sun Belt voters made up for their error, voting Monroe to the preseason All-Sun Belt First-Team this season.
However, individual statistics and accomplishments don’t interest either of them.
“Our goals this year are winning the Sun Belt and going to the NCAA tournament,” Monroe says, as Graham nods in agreement. “Individual stats don’t matter.”
