Kentucky Basketball: Players Under Most Pressure In 2016-17
Malik Monk
Position: Guard
Class: Freshman
2015-16 Slash Line: N/A
2015-16 Season Averages: N/A
No one seems to have concrete knowledge of which position Malik Monk is going to play in the NBA. There’s very little question about whether or not Monk can produce, but he’ll need to define his position by season’s end.
Though guard positions in the NBA have become somewhat ambiguous, a player still must have a defined skill set that fits a hybrid scheme.
Monk is a generational athlete who moves effortlessly, jumps out of the gym, and brings crowds to their feet with his work above the rim. He was also an excellent 3-point shooter in high school, although there’s no guaranteeing that said skill will translate.
If it does, then it’d be difficult for NBA Draft scouts and opposing defenses to overlook Monk as a star-caliber contributor.
Monk has a 42.0″ max vertical leap and a 36.5″ standing vertical—freakish leaping ability. He won the 2016 McDonald’s All-American 3-Point Contest and is a genuine dunk artist who can go toe-to-toe with any athlete in the NBA.
Monk has something close to Russell Westbrook level athleticism and a jump shot that, at least from a standstill, appears to be NBA-caliber.
The question is: can Monk establish his true position and prove himself as a winner during his time in Lexington?