Malik Monk Trades Basketball for Pizza in New Local Campaign

Pizza Guys, a Sacramento-born pizza chain, has just named local basketball star Malik Monk as their new "Pizza Guy." This partnership brings back the "Pizza Guy" campaign after a 10-year timeout.

Monk, who recently signed a four-year $78 million contract with the Sacramento Kings, is pumped about his new role. "I'm excited to partner with Pizza Guys and be a part of their commitment to quality food and community engagement," he said.

The collaboration seems like a perfect match. Pizza Guys, founded in 1986 by Shahpour Nejad, has deep roots in Sacramento, just like the Kings. While the company's grown to 93 locations across California and Nevada, they still call Rancho Cordova home base.

Kamiar Nejad, vice president of innovation and son of the founder, explained why they picked Monk: "We had an internal meeting and started discussing some exciting players on the team that would fit the culture, and Malik quickly came to the top of that list."

In just two seasons, Monk's become a crowd favorite, known for his three-point shooting, high-flying dunks, and bold attitude. He'll be featured in Pizza Guys commercials, get a signature meal deal, and make appearances at local restaurants.

Pizza Guys has been on a roll lately. In 2024, they've opened seven new locations and plan to add three more by year's end, and teaming up with Monk could be the secret sauce they need to win over even more pizza lovers

Shahpour Nejad joked about Monk's decision to stay with the Kings: "The secret is, the reason that the Sacramento Kings (have) Malik is maybe because of Pizza Guys. All the recognition that he's going to get, and the free pizzas of course, I think that's why he stayed."

by Alex Bailey | July 22, 2024 | SHARE