New York Knicks: 2017 NBA Draft Point Guards Who Can Replace Derrick Rose
Malik Monk, Kentucky Wildcats
Age: 19 (2/4/1998)
Class: Freshman
Height, Weight, Wingspan: 6’4″, 197 pounds, 6’6″
2016-17 Slash Line: .450/.397/.822
2016-17 Season Averages: 32.1 MPG, 19.8 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 2.7 3PM
If the New York Knicks intend to replace Derrick Rose with a scorer, then Malik Monk should be the target. His NBA potential has been called into question due to his positional ambiguity, but Monk has a rare combination of shooting ability and athleticism.
Monk may not end up being a point guard in the NBA, but he has the tools to be one of the better players to emerge from this draft class.
Monk finished the season with 754 points scored, the most ever by a Kentucky freshman. It’s fourth all-time regardless of class.
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) April 4, 2017
Monk has a 42″ max vertical leap, as well as a 36.5″ standing vertical, which is a testament to his almost unparalleled athletic ability. There have been a number of great athletes over the years, but few are also elite 3-point shooters.
Monk has that rare combination of traits, as evidenced by his converting 104 3-point field goals on 39.7 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
Monk went off for scoring performances of 47, 37, 34, and 33 points during his freshman season. Numbers only matter so much as it pertains to performing at a high level in the NBA, but with Monk, they’re a sign of his scoring ability and upside.
If ever there were an era for a fringe facilitator to thrive at the point guard position, this would be it. If ever there were a system for a fringe facilitator to thrive at the point guard position, it would be the triangle offense.
The Knicks should give serious consideration to drafting Monk.