No coach in the country needed a win more than Kentucky Wildcats basketball coach Mark Pope. After missing on Tyran Stokes, Pope had a well-earned reputation as a guy who could attract top recruits, but couldn’t land them. On Monday night, he might have finally put that to rest when he landed one of the best players available in the transfer portal in forward Milan Momcilovic.
It was a long time coming for Pope, who began targeting the former Iowa State sharpshooter as soon as he entered the portal. However, because he was also going through the NBA draft process, a decision wasn’t coming right away, meaning Kentucky fans had to wait and watch other top players commit elsewhere. If they missed on Momcilovic, the options to replace him would be extremely limited.
With Louisville and Arizona also in pursuit, it was a tense weekend for Big Blue Nation. Rumors flew, and speculation ran wild. Each passing moment came with worries that he was considering the other teams.
Advertisement
However, late on Monday, Momcilovic made his decision, made Big Blue Nation very happy, and made Kentucky a contender. His addition changes everything for a program in need of some positivity after a disappointing season.
Landing Momcilovic, along with getting Malachi Moreno back, gives the Wildcats as talented a starting frontcourt as any team in the country. It also gives Kentucky one of the most dangerous three-point teams in the country. Last season, Momcilovic was the nation’s best, hitting 49% of his attempts. He joins Kam Williams, Justin McBride, and Jerone Morton as quality shooters from behind the arc.
More than anything, the addition of Momcilovic provides hope to Kentucky. Despite the recruiting misses, there is suddenly optimism around the team. Will it translate to the court this fall? That’s yet to be determined, but the pendulum has swung. Pope has landed an elite player, and basketball season can’t get here fast enough.
This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Kentucky basketball lands Milan Momcilovic from transfer portal
