Charlotte Hornets: Kemba Walker believes Malik Monk will be a star
Kemba Walker has high hopes for Malik Monk and thinks that the rookie will shine as a member of the Charlotte Hornets.
In an interview with Chris Kroeger of Primetime WFNZ, Kemba Walker talked about a number of topics including Charlotte Hornets‘ rookie Malik Monk. The All-Star point guard said that “He’ll be fine, he’ll be fine. It takes time…he has so much talent. It just takes time. He’s going to be a star in Charlotte.” (Twitter/ @Kroeger)
Kemba also added that “He has to keep putting in the work, which he’s doing. It’s a process. As long as he stays level-headed, great things will come for that kid. He’s super talented. He has so much time. He’s going to be great and do huge things here in Charlotte.”
That’s pretty high praise from the captain for the young prospect out of Kentucky. This comes after a run of games where Monk has fallen out of the team’s rotation. Malik hasn’t seen consistent minutes since early December and is mainly used in garbage time situations.
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This is why Kemba states that the 20-year old will be “fine.” There has been a lot of criticism surrounding Monk during his rookie season with most of it directed at the team for not playing him enough. The 11th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft has had an up and down first year in the league.
Early in the season, he had a couple 20-point games and one where he exploded for 18 points in the fourth quarter. Although, he also had a few games where his shooting was inconsistent. Ultimately, his defensive struggles led to Steve Clifford benching him in favor of Michael Carter-Williams.
The 6’3 combo guard has averaged 5.0 points per game and 1.2 assists per game so far this season while shooting 33.5% from the field, 33.9% from three and 70.6% from the free throw line.
Walker points out that Monk has “so much talent” but that “it just takes time.” This has been the same approach from a number of fans who still believe Malik can develop into a great player. Being so young, it’s obvious that the rookie needs time to develop on both ends of the floor.
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We will have to wait and see if Malik Monk will truly be a “star” as Kemba Walker says but there have been a few flashes of brilliance from the young player. The next few years will be important for his growth and future. If nothing else, it’s a nice vote of confidence from the two-time all-star point guard.