In one of the biggest upsets of the NBA season, Malik Monk has dethroned Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the title of Most Stylish NBA Player. Voting took place all week on the GQ Sports Instagram account, and while Shai made his way to the final round for the third straight year, a mighty contingent of Monk voters took him down.
Monk—who really put himself on the map, fashion-wise, this season—was making his first-ever appearance in the bracket. On his way to becoming Most Stylish, he beat out fellow upstart Jalen Williams in the first round. Then, he had to go through two veterans of both the NBA and its fashion scene: Russell Westbrook and LeBron James. That set him up for the final showdown against SGA, who went through PJ Tucker, Jayson Tatum, and Devin Booker to get there.
It’s been a big week for Monk, who just yesterday signed a four-year, $78-million contract to stay with the Sacramento Kings. If his gameday attire this year was any indication, some of that cash is going toward the purchase of even bigger fits. Already armed with a versatile closet—he’s shown off a vintage Lauryn Hill T-shirt, some very fun pink pants, and a seemingly infinite collection of fuzzy sweaters—the sky is the limit for the Kings guard.
Last year, Monk also told GQ that he can’t live without basketball sneakers and his Marni slides (as well as candy and old-school Gatorade from the can), so this was clearly a man angling for some fashion recognition.
Well, now it’s official. In the biggest election of the year, Malik Monk has emerged as the Most Stylish NBA Player of 2024. We cannot wait to see his first tunnel fit of the 2024-25 season.