Malik Monk was the 11th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. This shooting guard is one of the best shooters in his class, comes from an amazing school and, right now, is considered a pretty good draft steal at no. 11. The team he was picked by, the Charlotte Hornets, is owned by Michael Jordan. Jordan is the consensus greatest player of all time, and is pretty involved in the day-to-day running of the team.
However, even though Jordan is the best ever, Monk still believes he can beat him one-on-one. In an interview with David Foster from the Charlotte Observer, Monk spoke about playing Jordan 1-on-1.
“He’s pretty old right now,” Monk said. “I think I can get him.”
Jordan, of course, is 54 right now and Monk might have a chance in a direct duel. However, with Jordan's competitive nature, he would likely need to bring his A-game to beat the GOAT.
In the same interview, Monk spoke about how he didn't even watch summer league action. Monk rolled his ankle in a pre-draft workout, and was ruled out by the Hornets from the summer league.
“If I’m not playing, I can’t watch,” Monk said. “I was mad the whole time. So, yeah, I was super mad.”
Monk also drew comparisons between Kemba Walker and De'Aaron Fox. Walker is, of course, the star of the Hornets, while Monk played his one year in Kentucky with Fox at point guard.
“Kemba does everything just like Fox,” Monk said.
Lastly, Monk commented on the Hornets playing him at both guard positions.
“I think they want me to do both,” Monk said. “I think I can do it pretty good.”
Monk averaged 19.8 points per game on 40 percent shooting from three last season. Coming into the league, however, he might struggle defensively. He is only 6'3”, which is not ideal for a two-guard. However, his three point stroke is perfect, and could be an amazing fit next to Nicolas Batum and Kemba Walker, two amazing passers.
Follow Us
Subscribe