Mark Pope just landed one of the biggest fish in the transfer portal. Iowa State’s Milan Momcilovic has committed to Kentucky after keeping his decision in suspense for more than a month. The junior wing is exactly the kind of player the Wildcats needed to round out the rotation Pope is building around scoring and shooting.
Momcilovic was the top remaining transfer on the board. He averaged 16.9 points per game last season at Iowa State, which led the Big 12. More importantly for Kentucky, he shot 48.7 percent from three. That number is absurd for a high volume shooter at the high major level. He took more than five threes per game and still hit at that clip.
This is a transformative addition for the Wildcats. Kentucky needed shooting after losing several players to the NBA Draft and the portal in both directions. Pope had assembled a roster heavy on guards but light on the kind of stretch wing who can punish help defense. Momcilovic checks every box.
The fit with Pope’s offense is going to be obvious. Pope ran an offense at BYU built around movement, pace, and shooters in space. He has tried to install the same system in Lexington and the results have been mixed. Adding a player who shoots 48 percent from three is the kind of move that unlocks the whole system. Defenders have to stay glued to Momcilovic, which opens up driving lanes and post catches.
The journey to Kentucky was longer than expected. Momcilovic entered the portal in mid May. The decision dragged into late June. Multiple Power Four programs were in the mix. The patience and the deliberateness suggest a player who is calculating long term opportunity, not chasing the loudest NIL offer.
Momcilovic should slot in immediately as a starter. Pope is rebuilding the rotation around Otega Oweh, Jaxson Robinson, and incoming freshmen. Adding a high volume scorer and shooter gives Kentucky a real spacing threat on the wing. He also gives Pope another player who can create his own shot when the offense gets stalled in late clock situations.
For Kentucky, the recruiting class is shaping up nicely. They landed several key freshmen out of the high school ranks. They picked up multiple transfers across positions. Pope’s first year did not produce the results some expected, and the front office is using year two as the season where the team has to start meeting expectations.
The SEC is going to be brutal next year. Auburn is loaded again. Tennessee is reloading. Alabama brings back a strong group. Florida is rebuilding aggressively. Arkansas has talent. The competition for postseason positioning will be intense, and Kentucky needs every piece it can get to compete at the top.
For Iowa State, losing Momcilovic is painful but expected. The Cyclones have had several portal departures, including Mouhamed Dioubate going to LSU. Programs at this level are going to lose players regardless of the program’s culture. The key for Iowa State will be replenishing through their own portal additions and recruiting class.
The bigger picture in college basketball is the continued importance of the portal in roster building. More than 2,700 players entered the portal in the two week window after the season ended. Every program is essentially a free agent destination every spring. Momcilovic choosing Kentucky validates Pope’s recruiting pitch and gives the Wildcats real momentum heading into next season.
For Momcilovic, this is the move that puts him on a national stage. He has the talent to be a first team All SEC player. He has the shooting to attract NBA scouts. A successful year at Kentucky positions him for the next level. Pope just landed exactly the player he needed at exactly the right time.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
