Kings’ Malik Monk breaks silence on 6MOY award rejection

The Sacramento Kings have assembled a roster so talented that their most electrifying player may be coming off the bench.

Star sixth man Malik Monk averaged 15.4 points and 5.1 assists in 72 games last season, all as a reserve. Leading all reserves in points and assists should be a key to winning NBA Sixth Man of the Year. So why isn’t Monk in the history books?

Monk suffered a season-ending injury with only nine games remaining in the regular season. As the awards ceremony began, the trend of topicality overwhelmed him. Minnesota Timberwolves big man Naz Reid took home the 2023-24 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award, and Monk doesn’t want to forget it.

During a media day interview with Sactown Sports 1140’s Stiles & Watkins, Monk wasn’t afraid to share his opinion when asked about winning the award this year:

Last year, of course, I should have won it… and the stats they showed were his [Naz Reid] starting. At first I thought it came from the bank. Then they said we wouldn’t win. The year before I was ahead in every area too and we were number three and I still didn’t win, so I’m not worried about it, man.

– Malik Monk, Sacramento Kings

Monk didn’t hesitate to claim that he should receive at least one Sixth Man of the Year trophy, if not two. Monk played 25 games last season in which he scored more than 20 points, including scores of 39 and 37.

A player who reportedly could have gotten nearly $100 million in free agency and likely a starting job in another city, Monk is the embodiment of a sixth NBA player who chose to commit to Sacramento for less money to stay and help his team win.

While Monk is no longer worried about winning the award after last year’s snub, Sacramento’s human highlight reel is already the favorite to win this season.

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