It’s been a great overall offseason for the Iowa State Cyclones.
They brought in five new transfers, all coming in from different places, different environments, and provided different roles to their team. But now, they all come together at Iowa State to attempt to build something special and bring the Cyclones back to the Final Four, a feat they haven’t achieved since 1944.
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But things are going to be completely different in Ames, IA, next season, partially due to the fact that their expected star player is headed elsewhere.
Milan Momcilovic has been an unbelievable player for Iowa State in three years with the program. He broke out as a freshman, quickly becoming a double-digit scorer in Year One. He averaged 10.9 points per game, while also putting up solid shooting numbers from three.
Milan Momcilovic will be difficult for Iowa State to replace
Mar 22, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic (22) looks to pass as Kentucky Wildcats guard Jasper Johnson (2) defends during the first half during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. | Jeff Le-Imagn Images
As a sophomore, he improved. He put up 11.5 points per game, shot a bit better from three, and had a greater role with the Cyclone team. But it was really in his junior season that he became a well-known name across the country.
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Momcilovic averaged a career high 16.9 points per game, 3.0 rebounds and had outstanding numbers from beyond the arc. He shot 48.7% from deep on 7.5 attempts.
If you don’t know how insane that is, let me tell you, it’s insane. Momcilovic had the best 3-point shooting season of any player in college basketball history. Yeah, he’s that good.
Unfortunately, though, Momcilovic left in the offseason, heading to the Kentucky Wildcats. And Iowa State is definitely going to miss their star.
Obviously, Momcilovic’s game is so unique. Being 6-foot-8 and having the shooting percentages that he did was unbelievable. It’s almost impossible to replicate a player like that.
But Momcilovic was a threat from 2-point range as well. His post fade was one of the most iconic signature moves in the country last season, and his transition finishing was also at an elite level.
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The Cyclones have solid shooters like Jamarion Batemon and Jaquan Johnson, but nothing close to what Momcilovic could provide. Inside, Blake Buchanan has a solid post game, but nothing like Momcilovic’s.
Iowa State doesn’t have a big man who can play well with their back to the basket, and that’s going to affect them a lot this year. The only comparable thing that the Cyclones have is their transition finishing. With such a good defense, Killyan Toure and others will likely be able to replicate Momcilovic’s finishing.
Iowa State is going to miss Momcilovic a lot, and it’s going to be impossible to replace a guy of that caliber. But as long as the Cyclones can step up in other ways, they can certainly find a way to succeed without him.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/iowa-state as Iowa State Basketball Has Massive Gap To Fill Without Milan Momcilovic.
