Kentucky Basketball: NBA Draft Scenarios for De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk
By Nick Thelen
Two of Kentucky Basketball’s freshman have declared to enter the NBA Draft Both are subject to lottery pick conversations.
Kentucky Basketball fans should be familiar with the NBA Draft by now. Coach John Calipari has helped send 28 young men to the league since he’s been here, and at least two more are headed there again. So, which NBA teams are best for Kentucky’s Malik Monk and De’Aaron Fox?
Does Fox Have a New York State of Mind?
The New York Knicks just lost Derrick Rose, starting point guard and former Calipari protégé, to yet another season-ending injury. Their president, Phil Jackson, has consistently made questionable front-office decisions (like overpaying for an injury-prone Derrick Rose). At least Carmelo Anthony was selected as an All-Star–after Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kevin Love got injured.
Look, the Knicks need help, especially at point guard. Enter De’Aaron Fox, the quickest Wildcat since John Wall.
Fox possesses incredible transition speed and defensive quickness, something that all NBA teams covet. Given the Knicks’ lack of explosiveness in the front court, New York is a very possible destination. He averaged 16.7 points per game to go along with 4.6 assists and 4 rebounds for Kentucky.
Fox will need to improve his three point shooting to prolong his NBA career, but his athleticism and winning mentality give him a great starting point.
It’s Always Sunny Until Monk Rains Threes
The Philadelphia 76ers are emblematic of tanking NBA teams. They’re awful every year, but they always get a shot at the next top prospect. They’ve even got their own slogan for it: “Trust the process.”
While “the process” has yet to come to fruition for the 76ers, there is no doubt that they’ve amassed an incredible amount of basketball talent over the last few seasons, including former Kansas big man, Joel Embiid, and former LSU point forward, Ben Simmons.
Kentucky Basketball is no stranger to talent, either, and our most talented player this season may have been SEC Freshman of the Year, Malik Monk.
Monk averaged 19.8 points per game on 45 percent shooting and 39.7 percent from downtown. He also shot 82 percent from the free throw line.
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If Philly drafts Monk, he’d slot in perfectly alongside Simmons. Both players excel in transition, and Monk would also provide much-needed perimeter shooting. How high his NBA ceiling can go depends on two key factors, though. Can his athleticism overcome his lack of size as a shooting guard, and can he consistently get to the rim? That remains to be seen.
What’s certain is this: Monk gets buckets, and buckets win ball games.