A day after his Kentucky teammate De’Aaron Fox declared for the 2017 NBA draft, Malik Monk has entered his name as well, the school announced in a press release. Monk, who wrote a piece for The Players’ Tribune saying goodbye to Kentucky, will sign with an agent, forgoing his remaining years of NCAA eligibility.
“Malik is a special talent,” Kentucky head coach John Calipari said of his departing guard. “With Malik you’re talking about a superior athlete with skills and an ability to score that make him truly unique. What I love about Malik is that, as the season went on, he learned how to help our team win by doing more than just score. He became an efficient player who I believe will make an immediate impact at the next level.”
A virtual lock to be a lottery pick in June, Monk currently ranks sixth on Jonathan Givony’s big board at DraftExpress.com, and seventh on Chad Ford’s ESPN list. In his newest mock draft, published earlier this morning, Ford has Monk coming off the board at No. 4 to the Magic, noting that the 19-year-old’s three-point shooting would be especially attractive to Orlando.
In his first and only college season, Monk averaged an impressive 19.8 PPG, with a shooting line of .450/.397/.822.
Malik Monk = a blend of Monta Ellis and CJ McCollum. Definitely want the Sixers to land him if they don’t get Fultz/Ball.
If Phil has any common sense he drafts Monk, get Melo out of New York
Monk will have to get in for a private workout. Chicago is just too too far to fly for Phil to scout him.
Wouldn’t that leave a hole at the 3 though? I can understand why to get Melo out from the viewpoint that they would be trying to rebuild and find young building blocks though. If I were the Knicks front office (not that I am nor would they even consider this), I’d ask Melo that if a trade can’t be worked out, how he would feel about trying to take on a mentor role for Monk. Granted Melo might not be the ideal veteran to rely on as a mentor, but he’s seen enough and done enough in his career to know things that he could pass on to younger players. Just got to make sure Monk isn’t taking any defensive tips from Melo lol.
I think Lou Williams is his best outcome.
Is there any chance he can run point? I know some of the players are kind of held back in Calipari system because he has to assign them specific roles so that they can play team basketball. I never knew Devin Booker was the scorer he is now, on Kentucky I was convinced he was just a shooter. KAT as well, his game is a lot more diversified than people though initially when he came out of college.