Malik Monk honored as McDonald’s All-American and looking forward to future in Kentucky

On Friday, it was Malik Monk’s turn to be celebrated as a McDonald’s All-American.

Officials with the all-star event have been traveling the country in recent weeks, stopping at the high schools of the nation’s top basketball recruits for jersey presentations and award ceremonies.

The latest stop was Bentonville High in Arkansas, where Monk is wrapping up his career as one of the state’s all-time best players before heading off to the McDonald’s game in Chicago, and, ultimately, the University of Kentucky.

“It’s a great experience,” Monk told the Herald-Leader shortly after the ceremony. “I’m blessed to be here, because a lot of greats have been in this situation. And now I have my chance to do it.”

Monk — a 6-foot-4 combo guard — has been relatively quiet since his surprise commitment to the Wildcats last November. He said Friday that his comfort level with John Calipari, Kenny Payne and the rest of the UK coaching staff led him to make the early commitment despite his long-held plans to wait until after his senior season to pick a school.

Part of the reason many recruiting observers figured Monk would wait to make a college announcement was the fact that the other favorite in his recruitment was home-state Arkansas, and an early decision would mean a season full of boos and taunts from fans of the Razorbacks.

Monk was expecting that — he’s friends with former UK player Archie Goodwin, who endured local disapproval after committing to the Cats over Arkansas before his senior season — and Monk acknowledged that the reactions were “kind of crazy” in the immediate aftermath of his own announcement.

He was fine with that.

“They were just being loyal to Arkansas,” he said. “But, after a while, they got used to it and realized that what I was doing was best for me. At first, it was what I expected. But now, it’s really died down and I don’t really hear it.”

On the court, he’s living up to his billing as one of the top five prospects in the loaded recruiting class of 2016. Thirty-point games are the norm, 40-point games are not uncommon, and he even turned in a 53-point performance in December.

Monk will come to UK with expectations of being one of the best offensive guards during Calipari’s tenure in Lexington, and he’s arguably the most exciting high school player in the country right now (think lots of quickness, dunks and threes).

He’ll share a backcourt next season with No. 1 point guard De’Aaron Fox, one of his closest basketball friends and another highly athletic prospect who can fill up a highlight reel in a hurry.

Monk said throughout his recruitment that he wanted to play some point guard in college. He said Friday that’s not really a concern. “It doesn’t matter what I play. I can play with the ball, off the ball, anything. Whoever gets the ball with me and Fox — we’re both very versatile — so we can just do whatever.”

Monk said he could see UK guards Tyler Ulis and Isaiah Briscoe jumping to the NBA, but he’d be excited to play alongside one or both of them next season, pointing to the success of the Cats’ three-guard lineup.

He also spoke of Texas center Marques Bolden, the top remaining target on UK’s radar and a fellow McDonald’s All-American. Monk said he has Bolden’s cell number, but he knows how stressful recruiting can be and he’s trying not to pressure him.

“But I know Kentucky wants him,” he added. “And when I see him in Chicago, I’m going to tell him what’s up.”

Monk is busy enough staying in touch with fellow UK signees Fox, Bam Adebayo, Wenyen Gabriel and Sacha Killeya-Jones, who have a group text message going and converse just about every day.

Calipari is also in regular contact with Monk, who receives a call or text from his future head coach after every game.

The five-star recruit says Calipari hasn’t said much about his role at UK next season. Monk is more concerned with making a run to the state title, and Calipari is busy trying to get the Cats back to the Final Four.

There will be time to think about his college career soon enough.

“I know it’s going to come fast,” Monk said. “Real fast. And we’ll talk about that when it gets here.”

This story was originally published February 26, 2016 at 6:44 PM with the headline "Malik Monk honored as McDonald’s All-American and looking forward to future in Kentucky."