The 2025-26 men’s college basketball season was a historic one for Iowa State Cyclones star Milan Momcilovic.
His shooting prowess was on display the entire campaign. He led the country with 136 made 3-pointers on the season, along with his 47.8% from long distance. It is the first time in men’s basketball history that the same player has led in both statistics in a single season.
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Looking to build off that impressive performance, Momcilovic entered his name into the 2026 NBA Draft. With the NBA draft combine completed, he is now going to have some individual workouts with teams to see where he stands on draft boards.
If he doesn’t get the kind of feedback he is hoping for, a return to the college ranks is possible. He has until May 27 to remove his name from the draft pool and retain eligibility. Should that be the route he takes, a massive payday is awaiting him.
Milan Momcilovic receiving crazy NIL offers
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. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
“Some of the numbers I’m hearing are pretty crazy,” he said at one point, via Ben Roberts of the Lexington Herald Leader. When asked about what those figures might be, Momcilovic said, with a grin, “Ehhhh, I’m not going to share them right now.”
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While no exact numbers were exchanged, it is fair to assume that the sharpshooter would be one of the highest compensated players in men’s basketball if he were to return to college for the 2026-27 season.
“I mean, I could get more money in college – that’s the bottom line – than a contract in the NBA right now,” Momcilovic acknowledged.
However, getting the most money isn’t the No. 1 goal that he has right now. Since he decided to declare for the 2026 NBA Draft and enter the transfer portal with a “do not contact” tag, his focus has been entirely on getting selected.
He hammered home that money was not his top priority when revealing that, should he return to college, how he fits with a team is important to his decision-making.
“I’m not gonna go money hunt for like the top school that offers me the most money,” Momcilovic said. “So, I mean, obviously it’s really cool to hear some of those numbers, and it’s tempting. But for me, I don’t need all that. I just need a good spot where I can go.”
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Should he play collegiately next season, three teams have emerged as suitors: the Kentucky Wildcats, St. John’s Red Storm and Louisville Cardinals.
St. John’s is considered a long shot, while it is hard to imagine that Louisville has much more NIL money left to spend after their spree in the transfer portal.
Kentucky has a need for Momcilovic and plenty of money to spend, given how their offseason has unfolded thus far. The Wildcats certainly check a lot of the boxes the former Cyclones star is looking for.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/iowa-state as Massive Payday Awaiting Milan Momcilovic if He Returns to College.
