The Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball team suffered a massive loss when Milan Momcilovic entered his name into the 2026 NBA Draft, effectively ending his time with the program.
Because of the timing, the Cyclones knew that even if he returned to college basketball, retaining him was virtually impossible. If head coach T.J. Otzelberger wanted to fill out the roster adequately in the transfer portal, they wouldn’t wait for Momcilovic to make his decision.
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By the time the sharpshooter opted out of the 2026 NBA Draft, Iowa State already had five transfers locked in. Momcilovic was in the transfer portal and eventually decided on the Kentucky Wildcats as the team he would join.
Part of the draw to Kentucky was assuredly how much NIL money he received. The Wildcats sounded willing to pay whatever it took to bring Momcilovic to Lexington, and they put their money where their mouth was.
Milan Momcilovic has one of highest NIL valuations in collegiate sports
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. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
On3 recently shared its updated list of the top 10 highest NIL valuations in the country. A slight adjustment was made to how they compiled the rankings, tracking what athletes are making now, not using projections for market value.
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Not only is Momcilovic the No. 1-ranked player in men’s basketball in terms of valuation, but he is No. 2 amongst all collegiate athletes. His $6 million price tag is second only to Miami (FL) Hurricanes quarterback Darian Mensah, who transferred from the Duke Blue Devils to their ACC rivals this offseason.
That kind of money certainly wasn’t going to be made by Momcilovic had he remained in Ames. He wasn’t going to come close to that amount if he had remained in the 2026 NBA Draft either, as he was a fringe prospect who could have very well gone undrafted.
Men’s college basketball players dominate the top 10 of On3’s list. No. 3 on the list is Flory Bidunga, who transferred from the Kansas Jayhawks to the Louisville Cardinals. He has a valuation of $6 million, with Louisville spending approximately $20 million on the roster.
At No. 6 is Tounde Yessoufou, who withdrew from the 2026 NBA Draft and transferred from the Baylor Bears to the St. John’s Red Storm. His $5 million price tag likely helped increase what Momcilovic could earn in the portal.
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No. 7 is Florida Gators forward Thomas Haugh, who, like Yessoufou, was a projected first-round pick but elected to return to college. Massamba Diop transferred from the Arizona State Sun Devils and landed with the Gonzaga Bulldogs, earning an NIL valuation of $5 million, putting him in ninth place.
Rounding out the top 10 is incoming freshman Tyran Stokes, who is heading to Kansas. He is the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2026 and selected the Jayhawks over Kentucky.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/iowa-state as Milan Momcilovic Cashed in on NIL Transferring From Iowa State.
