Kings’ Monk snubbed of NBA Sixth Man of the Year award
Kings’ Monk snubbed of NBA Sixth Man of the Year award originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Malik Monk‘s efforts as the Kings’ beloved sixth man fell short of earning league-wide recognition.
Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid won the 2023-24 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award. Monk was amongst three finalists for the honor, along with Reid and Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis.
The winner was announced Wednesday afternoon on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” broadcast.
It was a close race between Reid and Monk. Reid received 45 first-place votes while Monk received 43. Both players received an identical 39 second-place votes and 10 third-place votes.
The 26-year-old high-flying, athletic guard is coming off the best season of his seven-year NBA career, averaging 15.4 points on 44.3-percent shooting from the field and 35 percent from 3-point range, with 2.0 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 26 minutes off the bench.
Despite missing the last nine games of the regular season due to an MCL sprain, Monk led the league in points (1,110) and assists (370) off the bench.
Monk is the first player in 35 years to lead the league in bench points in consecutive seasons without winning the Sixth Man of the Year award, per StatMamba.
The outspoken guard never shied away from expressing how badly he wanted to win the award, and in an interview with NBC Sports California, expressed what it would mean to him to bring it home.
“The world,” Monk said. “Finally getting recognition for my work, and it’s finally showing to the world that I’m here to stay and I can play basketball at a high level.”
From what he has seen from his notes, longtime Kentucky coach John Calipari likes Monk’s chances of taking home the 6MOTY honor.
“Oh, yeah, he should win. I mean, the Sixth Man of the Year should come from the most impactful player that comes off the bench, right? Who is more impactful than him? And it’s not just numbers. It’s impacting the game.
“How he’s playing as a playmaker, as a shot blocker, a guy that steals balls, what he’s doing to dominate a run for three minutes and separate the game and then let the team finish the game up. Come on. It’s well deserved. I hope he gets it.”
Monk is primed to enter NBA free agency this summer and is expected to receive the biggest payday of his pro career after consecutive impactful seasons in Sacramento.
Despite this year’s snub of the award, Monk forever will be remembered — and loved — in the state’s capital for his contributions off the bench.