The University of Kentucky has always produced top talent in the NBA lottery. Malik Monk is no different in this upcoming draft. Monk brings a ton of skill to whichever team picks him. He's an instant playmaker and will help bring a team out of the gutter. Malik Monk has a few Strengths And Weaknesses in his game that are crucial to his development as a player at the next level.
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 200 pounds
College averages: 19.8 ppg, 2.5 RPG, 2.3 APG
Strengths
Malik Monk is a natural killer. He'll step onto any basketball court and give you 40 on any given night.
Monk has some incredible athleticism that he showed all season, whether that be in catching lobs or getting to the rack. A big part of his offensive game was his shooting. Monk can shoot better than anyone in this draft, and he brings a lot of NBA game moves. He can step-back off either foot, he can use a quick dribble pull-up, and he has a ton of bounce in his step. When he makes a move he gains ground on his defender. Monk will be able to contribute right away to whoever needs him.
Weaknesses
Weaknesses for Malik Monk start within his offensive game. While he can score the lights out, Monk's not going to be able to give you much in ball-movement. He's a guy who can play off the ball extremely well, but if you're a team who needs a guard to lead you, he won't be it.
When Monk is paired with a natural facilitator, the offense will become really good. His size will be a bit of an issue at the next level. With rule changes and fouls being called differently, his size isn't as much of an issue as it would have been 10 years ago, but he will get bodied when trying to go by larger shooting guards.
Monk's main role is shooting guard and he won't ever pass as a small forward. This limits a team a bit in their defensive concepts especially with so many teams that have wings who can play 2 through 4.
Lastly, there were times this past season that when Monk wasn't scoring, he wasn't doing much of anything productive. He showed flashes of dominance in driving and kicking the ball or throwing up a lob, but if he isn't scoring it's hard for him to do much else.
All in all, these critiques are minuscule in terms of the bigger picture. Monk is electric for any team in the league. He compares well to guys like Lou Williams and Jamal Crawford. He'll start off as a bench guy that comes in to score, but he's got a very bright future in the NBA. Teams that would be great for him at the top of the draft are the 76ers and the Mavericks. These two teams could use him right away next season.
