Malik Monk 'Doubtful' to Play in 2017 NBA Summer League Due to Ankle Injury

The Charlotte Hornets announced Tuesday that rookie Malik Monk "will miss the Hornets Summer League Training Camp in Charlotte and is doubtful to participate in the team's games at the Mountain Dew Orlando Pro Summer League with a sprained left ankle suffered during the draft workout process."

The team added that Monk is expected to rehab the injury for two to four weeks.

Monk was the No. 11 overall pick in this month's NBA draft, surprisingly dropping out of the top 10 after a superb freshman season at Kentucky. The sharpshooter averaged 19.8 points per game and shot 39.7 percent from beyond the arc last season, scoring 20 or more points 19 times and 30 or more points four times.

His 47-point outburst in a December win over North Carolina was one of the signature moments of the college basketball season.

In Charlotte, Monk's role remains in question. He could slot into the starting 2-guard role next to point guard Kemba Walker, giving the team an electrifying offensive backcourt but a smaller one that might struggle defensively. But Monk could also come off the bench, offering instant offense.

Whatever he's asked to do, he is ready to make an impact. 

"I'm trying to be Rookie of the Year," he said after his selection, per Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer.

His addition, alongside the trade that landed Dwight Howard, has given the Hornets a new look. And Howard seemed pleased to see Monk added to the fold: 

Hornets fans, however, will likely have to wait until the preseason to see Monk in action in a Hornets jersey.