Malik Monk
A dynamic scoring guard whose electric athleticism and fearless shot-making have made him a vital sparkplug off the bench for the Sacramento Kings.
Born 1998 (age 28)·American basketball player·Birthday: February 4·Generation Z
Biography
Malik Monk scored 47 points against North Carolina in a 2017 University of Kentucky game. That performance showcased his shooting range and leaping ability, leading to his one-and-done NBA draft. The Charlotte Hornets picked him, but early years were marked by inconsistency. A stint with the Los Angeles Lakers refined his playmaking and defense. In 2022, he joined the Sacramento Kings, becoming the second unit's leader. His gravity, passing, and clutch shooting made him essential to the league's highest-scoring offense. Monk was born in 1998.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Malik was born in 1998, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Malik Was Born
The biggest hits of 1998
#1 Movie
Saving Private Ryan
Best Picture
Shakespeare in Love
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
Malik's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1998Born
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2003Started school
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2011Became a teenager
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Could drive
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2016Could vote
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Turned 21
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 28 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2024 for his pivotal role with the Sacramento Kings.
- Scored a Kentucky freshman record 47 points in a game against North Carolina in 2017.
- Set the Sacramento Kings franchise record for most assists in a game by a reserve with 15 in 2024.
Did You Know?
He and Sacramento Kings teammate De'Aaron Fox were backcourt partners at the University of Kentucky.
He won the Arkansas high school basketball Gatorade Player of the Year award twice, in 2015 and 2016.
He participated in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest as a rookie in 2018.
“I just play with a lot of confidence. I feel like I'm the best player on the court every time I step on it.”
