Milan Momcilovic commits to the University of Kentucky

Milan Momcilovic committed to Kentucky on Monday, giving Mark Pope the most sought-after remaining player in the men’s college basketball transfer portal. The former Iowa State forward announced the move less than a week after withdrawing from the 2026 NBA draft, according to ESPN and an Associated Press report. Momcilovic had gone through the draft process, including the NBA combine, before opting to return to college basketball for the 2026-27 season. His decision closes one of the last major roster questions left after the draft withdrawal deadline. ### Why did Momcilovic matter so much once he left the draft? ESPN reported on May 27 that Momcilovic was withdrawing from the draft and would play college basketball next season, citing his agents at Excel Basketball. The outlet said he immediately became the No. 1 player in the portal and the most sought-after available transfer. Kentucky, Louisville, St. John’s and Arizona were expected to be the primary schools involved in his recruitment at that stage, ESPN said. (espn.com) The 6-foot-8 Momcilovic had tested himself against NBA evaluators after earning an invitation to the combine. ESPN reported that he shot nearly 69% in the four shooting drills there, but had been No. 38 in its most recent mock draft and was unlikely to reach the first round. That combination — elite shooting, proven production and unresolved draft positioning — made his college return unusually consequential. (espn.com) ### What exactly is Kentucky getting from Iowa State? Momcilovic averaged 16.9 points per game last season and shot an NCAA-best 48.7% from 3-point range, according to ESPN and the AP report carried by ABC News. The AP said he took 7.5 3-point attempts per game and ranked fifth nationally in made 3-pointers. ESPN described him as the best shooter in college basketball last season. (espn.com) Iowa State got three seasons from Momcilovic before his exit from Ames. ESPN said the Cyclones won 83 games and reached two Sweet 16s during that span, and the AP report said he shot 43% from 3 over his three seasons there. His single-game scoring bursts included 34 points with eight 3-pointers against Cincinnati and 28 points with eight 3-pointers against Arizona in the Big 12 tournament, ESPN reported. (espn.com) ### How did the recruitment narrow to Kentucky? ESPN reported that Momcilovic chose Kentucky over Louisville and Arizona. St. John’s had also been involved as recently as last week, ESPN said, before bowing out after landing Baylor transfer Tounde Yessoufou. The commitment gave Kentucky a win in a late-cycle portal chase after Momcilovic became available again when he left the draft. (espn.com) Monday’s announcement also fit Kentucky’s broader reliance on transfer additions. ESPN said Momcilovic is likely to join transfers Alex Wilkins from Furman and Zoom Diallo from Washington in the Wildcats’ starting lineup. The same report noted that center Malachi Moreno had also withdrawn from the NBA draft last week, reducing some of the roster uncertainty around Pope’s 2026-27 group. (espn.com) ### What does this settle for Kentucky heading into next season? Kentucky now has one of the last major portal pieces in place before summer roster work shifts toward lineup construction and offseason development. ESPN reported that Pope is coming off a 22-14 season and a second-round NCAA tournament exit, and said Momcilovic’s addition materially changes the Wildcats’ 2026-27 outlook. That assessment was ESPN’s, not a public statement from Kentucky. (espn.com) The next concrete step is the 2026-27 season buildout in Lexington. Kentucky has Momcilovic committed, Moreno back from the draft process, and a transfer-heavy roster that now includes one of the country’s most productive perimeter shooters. (espn.com)