The smooth jump shot jumps out. So does the next-level athleticism. And the NBA Jam flaming-hoop hot streak.
But talk to those who have played with or against Malik Monk, and have coached him or watched him closely, and the first thing that comes to mind is that smile. It’s not an egotistical smile. It’s an “I know I’m good” belief that’s been there for years.
“It’s a smile of confidence. No matter what happens, he smiles,” said Georgia State assistant Sharman White, who coached Monk in the Jordan Classic and LeBron James Skills Academy. “He takes the game serious, but he doesn’t take it to the point it takes him out of character.