With Otega Oweh out of eligibility, the Kentucky Wildcats were looking for a new star player, and Coach Mark Pope found that star player via the transfer portal. After pulling his name out of the NBA Draft, Iowa State sharpshooter Milan Momcilovic transferred to Kentucky, where he will be a perfect fit for the Pope system.
Last season for the Cyclones, Momcilovic averaged 16.9 points per game while shooting 48.7% from three on 7.5 attempts per game. His ability to shoot the three makes him a dream come true for Coach Pope, knowing he wants to shoot over 30 a game.
Mar 27, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic (22) reacts in the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Midwest Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
The question today for BBN is knowing how good Momcilovic is; could he win National Player of the Year at Kentucky? This is a fun question for fans to think about and has been floating around on social media, but to me, I believe it would be really hard for Momcilovic to win this award.
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The reason I believe it would be hard for Momcilovic to win this award is that he doesn’t do much on the floor other than shoot the three-ball. He is a capable defender, but he doesn’t help much on the glass or on assists. Last season for the Cyclones, Momcilovic averaged 3.1 rebounds and one assist per game.
Right now, most National Player of the Year candidates are averaging close to 20 points, and they pair that with a high rebound or assist number per game. Knowing Momcilovic isn’t going to do much in these two areas of the game, I believe it will be hard for him to win National Player of the Year.
There is a world where, in the Pope system, Momcilovic could have the best three-point shooting season in college basketball history and still not win this award just because he doesn’t do much else on the floor. For example, Oweh last season averaged 18.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per game, and he wasn’t even really in the running for this award.
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Now, if Momcilovic doesn’t end up being in the running for National Player of the Year, that doesn’t mean that he didn’t have a great season, but with his style of play, it will be hard to bring home this hardware. At the end of the day, I don’t believe Momcilovic cares much about personal accolades as he wants to win number nine here in Lexington.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/kentucky as Could Kentucky sharpshooter Milan Momcilovic win National Player of the Year?.
