2017 NBA Mock Draft 2.0

Player Profile:

“There is a number of ways to describe Monk, but professional scorer seems to suffice the most. That’s what he’ll bring to the table at the next level, and he will likely do so in droves.

Monk has been blistering hot all season long for Kentucky, essentially trashing any concerns over a streaky jumper and replacing those with praise for his outside scoring touch. He’s the catalyst for Kentucky’s perimeter scoring given [De’Aaron] Fox and Isaiah Briscoe’s limitations in that department, and has put together a handful of memorable performances to help establish that.

…Monk’s shooting stroke is quick and concise, and he needs little to no room to get up shots. He’s a special athlete as well, and has virtually no problems in creating space and finding holes in the defense when needed.” — Sixers: Top 10 Prospects to Watch, 4th Ed.

Outside Opinion:

“Figuring out what to make of Kentucky’s Malik Monk as an NBA prospect is a bit of a difficult task. There is no doubt that the freshman is an excellent college scorer. He’s averaging 21.9 points per game with a 62.2 true shooting percentage while canning 4.0 3-pointers per 40 minutes. His shooting mechanics are excellent. He has no problem finding the tiniest bit of space to get his shot off when guarded and he’s capable of running into that space off the ball. It’s a really, really good skill for a league that values the ability to make outside shots.

The questions are two-fold. First, will Monk’s shooting translate to the NBA? He wasn’t always this good of a shooter. He was called streaky coming into college, for example. Add in the fact that he’s just 6-foot-3 and will be at a size disadvantage to nearly every defender and it’s far to ask the question.” — Chris Stone in FanSided’s NBA Mock Draft 2017, Week 14.

Team Fit:

Malik Monk has been torching college teams all season long, and that’s enough to jump him up to 7th in this mock draft. While the Timberwolves don’t need another talented shooter on the perimeter with Zach LaVine, Monk’s performance could give them the urge to try him out as a point guard — or do the same with LaVine.

If they aren’t solid on Kris Dunn’s long term fit with the team’s starting unit, Monk gives another high caliber shooter to help space the floor for Karl-Anthony Towns, while opening up more driving lanes for the likes of Andrew Wiggins in the process.

If the Wolves aren’t thrilled with the big men available here — which could very well be the case — Monk makes some very real sense. Elite shooters of his caliber don’t come along all that often, and his uncanny athleticism and potential playaking skills add another wrinkle to his potential.