Malik Monk

Lore & Background

Monk attended East Poinsett County High School in Lepanto, Arkansas for his freshman year, then transferred to Bentonville High School in Bentonville, Arkansas. He committed to Kentucky on November 18, 2015. In college, he set a University of Kentucky freshman scoring record with 47 points in a win over North Carolina on December 17, 2016. He was named SEC Player and Freshman of the Year. He declared for the 2017 NBA draft after his freshman season. He was drafted 11th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in 2017 and played for them until 2021. He then signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021 and with the Sacramento Kings in 2022, reuniting with former college teammate De'Aaron Fox. He re-signed with the Kings in 2024.

In Their Own Story

The arena hums with anticipation as the clock winds down in the fourth quarter. The ball finds Malik Monk at the wing; he drives past his defender with a burst that leaves the crowd gasping. With a defender collapsing, he rises from deep inside the paint, hanging in the air for what seems like an eternity before slamming the ball through the hoop. The roar of the Spectrum Center erupts as Monk lands, pointing to the fans who have cheered him on through every high and low.

Reader's Guide

Malik Monk is a shooting guard known for his scoring ability. He played for the Charlotte Hornets from 2017 to 2021, the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021–2022, and has been with the Sacramento Kings since 2022. His career-high is 45 points, scored in a double-overtime win for the Kings in 2023.

Did You Know?

• Monk scored a career-high 45 points in a 176–175 double-overtime win over the Los Angeles Clippers on February 24, 2023, the second-highest-scoring game in NBA history.
• He tied Ed Macauley's record for the most free throws made without a miss in a playoff debut, going 14-of-14 in Game 1 of the 2023 playoffs.
• Monk was a consensus five-star recruit and ranked as the No. 9 overall recruit and No. 1 shooting guard in the 2016 high school class.