Kentucky heard the words “shooting hand” and “broken finger” in the same injury report.
That normally leads directly to panic.
Further testing delivered a much better diagnosis for Milan Momcilovic. The standout forward suffered a severe jam to the index finger on his shooting hand, not the fracture initially feared.
He is expected to resume shooting within approximately 10 days and should be ready for fall practice. For a Kentucky team that has spent too much time discussing injuries, this qualifies as excellent news.
Milan Momcilovic is too important to Kentucky’s spacing
Momcilovic is one of the most dangerous perimeter shooterslakhears on Mark Pope’s roster.
His ability to stretch defenses from the forward position creates driving lanes for guards and prevents opponents from crowding Kentucky’s interior players. When he is on the floor, Pope can build lineups that maintain size without sacrificing spacing.
A long absence would have forced an immediate offensive adjustment.
Kentucky might have needed to use smaller combinations, place a greater shooting burden on its guards or rely on less proven frontcourt players to provide floor spacing.
Instead, the Wildcats can continue building their original plan.
The injury occurred approximately one month ago, according to A Sea of Blue. Momcilovic’s expected return to shooting before formal practice begins gives him time to restore rhythm.
That final detail matters.
A shooter can receive medical clearance before regaining complete confidence in the injured hand. Momcilovic must be comfortable absorbing contact, controlling the ball and releasing shots without compensating mechanically.
Kentucky should give him that time.
The Wildcats also received a recent encouraging update on Kam Williams, who appeared in a workout without his walking boot after foot surgery. Positive developments involving both forwards would stabilize a roster that still has questions at power forward.
Momcilovic does not need to prove anything in an early September workout. Kentucky needs his shooting to remain healthy and dependable when games begin. After the initial fear of a broken finger, that outcome once again appears realistic.
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