The Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball team is going to miss Milan Momcilovic.
Coming off arguably the best shooting season in the history of men’s basketball, the Cyclones forward decided to declare for the 2026 NBA Draft. He also entered the transfer portal after some tough discussions with head coach T.J. Otzelberger so that he wouldn’t handcuff the program in its quest to restock the roster.
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Right now, Momcilovic’s main focus is getting drafted. Alas, that is easier said than done, and he knows that there are areas of his game that need to be improved for him to make it to the next level.
In his opinion, it is his defense that will determine whether or not he keeps his name in the 2026 NBA Draft and will hear his name called.
Milan Momcilovic speaks on areas of weakness to improve
Mar 27, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic (22) drives the ball against Tennessee Volunteers forward Jaylen Carey (23) in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Midwest Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
“Obviously, the biggest question is defense,” he said, via Ben Roberts of the Lexington Herald Leader. “All these white shooters, they get picked on for their defense. … That’s the question mark around me, because it’s different than college. You know, Iowa State, we had a top-five defense all three years. So that kind of helped me show I could be in a good defense. But at the same time, in the NBA, you’re going against the best in the world. And you get some help, but sometimes you’re on an island.”
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Momcilovic certainly did his part in the Cyclones’ defensive scheme. Otzelberger isn’t going to give minutes to guys who cannot help on that end of the court, and throughout his tenure in Ames, he made strides.
It is good that he has the self-awareness to know that, despite the team’s success in college, he still needs to make changes individually. In the NBA, teams will hunt particular matchups with more aggression, especially in the postseason.
Momcilovic admitted to some shortcomings, saying, “I’m not the most gifted athlete in the world.”
While he may not drive to the basket with aggression and rise up above the defense for thunderous dunks, he is still plenty capable of hurting a defense. Scouts and evaluators are going to watch and see how he handles the jump in athleticism, but he does have an elite skill already that teams will love with his shooting.
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That was on full display during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine, solidifying what he put on tape during the 2025-26 season. Momcilovic led the country in 3-pointers made with 136, connecting on 48.7% of his attempts, which was also No. 1 in the nation.
No player had ever accomplished that feat, as he entered his name into the 2026 NBA Draft off a historic campaign. The shooting ability is what will get him into the door; showing improvement in the other areas is what will keep him in the NBA.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/iowa-state as Milan Momcilovic Reveals Areas of Improvement To Make NBA.
