By Mark Haynes | OBSERVER Correspondent
Porsche Sacramento is widely known as a destination for acquiring high-end luxury vehicles. However, on Saturday, March 15, it was designated as the venue for a celebratory event honoring Sacramento Kings star Malik Monk and his new signature shoe deal with Peak Sports. Malik’s older brother and agent, Marcus Monk, organized the exclusive event.
The two siblings also used this moment to announce the launch of their housing and workforce initiative, The Ripple Effect, in partnership with Brett Lawton and The Restoring Lives Foundation. They aim to provide housing restoration and workforce development opportunities to assist underserved communities between Sacramento and Arkansas, the Monk brothers’ home state.
In addition to Malik’s new shoe deal with Peak Sports, the Monk brothers announced their first-ever Team Ambassadorships with a local Arkansas High School and Sacramento’s El Camino High. Peak Sports will provide both schools’ student-athletes with gear and support starting the 2025-26 season.
El Camino High School Head Boys’ Varsity coach Tauraun Moore believes this partnership perfectly fits the values he and his staff try to instill throughout his basketball program.
“Malik Monk and PEAK Sports align seamlessly with the principles we strive to cultivate within our program,” Moore told The OBSERVER. “Malik’s narrative of hard work, resilience, and personal development reflects the path we encourage our athletes to undertake. He exemplifies the pursuit of excellence, which is a core message we want our players to internalize. Likewise, PEAK Sports stands for innovation and high performance — qualities that resonate with our goal of achieving greatness in all areas of the game.”
Peak is a shoe company based in Quanzhou, China. Monk says other NBA players inspired him to consider shoe companies other than the well-known American brands. Dwyane Wade, Klay Thompson, and Lou Williams are other high-caliber NBA players who have signed shoe deals with companies based in China.
“They were making some noise, and I’ve been watching Kyrie Irving and other guys get to brands in China and not just staying with Nike and other brands in the US,” Monk said. “Peak stood out to me because they are up and coming, and I feel like I’m doing the same thing by making a name for myself in this league. They’re making a name for themselves in the shoe business, so why not bring both of us together and just go?”
When it comes to El Camino High, wearing the Peak brand on and off the court, Moore feels it will give players an extra sense of pride. Being part of the partnership between Monk and Peak gives their student-athletes an example of playing for something bigger than themselves and their personal goals. Success comes with teamwork, and wearing these new jerseys and gear will be a daily reminder of that idea.
“When I received the news about our partnership with PEAK Sports and the generous donation from Malik Monk, I was filled with immense gratitude and enthusiasm,” Moore described. “Malik is an inspiring figure as he rises in the ranks of the NBA, and having his support for our Varsity program is a remarkable honor.”
Being the first team in Sacramento to represent one of the biggest names on the Sacramento Kings active roster is a duty coach Moore takes seriously. He understands this is an opportunity that is bigger than just basketball. It changes the atmosphere beyond the work they will do inside the gym. Monk’s gesture exemplifies what minorities should do for their community when they are able to help others. A motion that might be small to Monk can create more acts of kindness from kids out of this program in the future.
“Malik Monk’s inspiring journey serves as a motivating force, pushing our kids to chase their ambitions and excel in various aspects of life,” Moore told The OBSERVER. “It imparts essential lessons about determination, teamwork, and the significance of community involvement, which will resonate with them well beyond their time in basketball.”
About half an hour into the event, the Monk brothers presented El Camino High with an oversized check and thanked the large crowd of attendees and those who donated to their cause. Their mother, Jacaynlene Monk, who traveled from Arkansas, proudly and elegantly watched her two sons put on a special event that meant a lot to many people.