Why the clutch pickup of Milan Momcilovic has Kentucky squarely as a top-20 team for 2026-27

Throughout the offseason, Kentucky Basketball has been one of the biggest storylines. At first, it was for bad reasons, as they had missed several targets. The most notable was Tyran Stokes, the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2026 recruiting class, who picked the Kansas Jayhawks over the Wildcats.

But things have gone better for the SEC program. A week ago, they got confirmation that freshman center Malachi Moreno was returning from the NBA Draft process for Kentucky, set to be a breakout candidate in year 2. Yet the biggest and best news of the offseason for the Wildcats came last, landing the best available player from the transfer portal.

Milan Momcilovic is a 6’8 forward who averaged 16.9 ppg at Iowa State, earning All-Big 12 honors. He was the top three-point shooter in the country last season, shooting almost 49% from deep on 7.5 attempts a game. After starting 101 games in three years, Momcilovic entered the transfer portal and the NBA Draft and looked to be likely going pro. 

Instead, he opted to return to college basketball, picking Kentucky over rival Louisville and Arizona. That gives the Wildcats a 14-man roster, including six transfers. Here’s a look at the players on the roster.

• Milan Momcilovic (16.9 ppg and 3.1 rpg at Iowa State)
• Zoom Diallo (15.7 ppg and 4.5 apg at Washington)
• Alex Wilkins (17.8 ppg and 4.7 apg at Furman)
• Justin McBride (15.3 ppg and 5.6 rpg at James Madison)
• Jerone Morton (7.8 ppg and 2.6 apg at Washington State)
• Franck Kepnang (6.2 ppg and 6.3 rpg at Washington)
• Ousmane N’Diaye (4-star forward prospect)
• Kam Williams (6.0 ppg and 2.1 rpg)
• Malachi Moreno (7.8 ppg and 6.3 rpg)
• Trent Noah (3.0 ppg and 2.3 rpg)
• Braydon Hawthorne (redshirt freshman wing)
• Reece Potter (6.3 ppg and 3.4 rpg in 2 years at Miami OH)

On the surface, it’s a talented roster that has lots of scoring potential, especially if you’re a believer in Moreno having a big sophomore campaign. But while Momcilovic is a proven scorer, his three-point shooting is what the Wildcats massively needed to round out the group. Here’s a look at the past shooting numbers for this group.

• Momcilovic (49% on 7.5 attempts per game)
• Diallo (32% on 2.2 attempts)
• Wilkins (33% on 5.7 attempts)
• McBride (40% on 3.1 attempts)
• Morton (39% on 2.5 attempts)
• Williams (36% on 3.3 attempts)
• Noah (33% on 1.9 attempts)

Considering that the centers don’t space the floor, having someone like Momcilovic is massive for Kentucky on offense. He also makes things easier for the guards, as Wilkins and Diallo can get to the basket and now have more room to operate. Coach Pope’s best teams have included an elite three-point shooter, and they didn’t have anyone in that category before the Iowa State star forward joined them.

Due to the “misses” and negative moments, some will still hold it against Kentucky as they analyze their hopes for the 2026-27 season. But looking at the final results, it’s been a successful offseason for the Wildcats in building a contender. This may not be a team that wins the SEC, but not only should Kentucky easily make the NCAA Tournament again, but expect them to be a mainstay in the top-25 rankings next year.

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