July 2, 2017 – Charlotte Hornets General Manager Rich Cho announced today that the team has signed 2017 first-round draft pick Malik Monk. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
A consensus 2016-17 All-American Second Team selection, Monk also earned the 2016-17 Jerry West Award, which honors the nation’s top shooting guard. He was named 2016-17 SEC Player of the Year (as voted by media), 2016-17 SEC Freshman of the Year and 2016-17 All-SEC First Team following his lone season at Kentucky, where he averaged of 19.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 32.1 minutes per game.
The Lepanto, Ark., native led the SEC in total points scored (754), three-pointers made (104) and three-point field goal percentage (.397, 104-of-262) during the 2016-17 season. He ranked second among NCAA freshman in scoring average (19.8), totaling 36 games with double-figure scoring, including 19 games of 20-or-more points and four games with 30-or-more.
Monk’s 754 total points set a Kentucky record for most points ever scored by a freshman and was the fourth-highest total among all players in school history. Monk helped the Wildcats to the 2017 SEC Championship and an Elite Eight appearance in the 2017 NCAA Tournament in his sole season at Kentucky.
Following his senior season at Bentonville High School in Bentonville, Ark, Monk was named a 2016 McDonald’s High School All-American, also participating in the 2016 Jordan Brand Classic, where he was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.