Mark Pope finally got his big portal win.
Former Iowa State forward Milan Momcilovic, the No. 1 player in USA TODAY Sports’ transfer portal rankings, committed to Kentucky per his Instagram page Monday night.
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Momcilovic withdrew his name from the 2026 NBA Draft ahead of the deadline May 27 and stands to make a significant amount of money in a lucrative NIL deal in Lexington.
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He was one of the most efficient players offensively last season and picked the Wildcats over reported heavy interest from Louisville and Arizona.
Momcilovic averaged 16.9 points per game last season, and as a 6-8 wing who shot 48.7% from 3-point range on 7.5 attempts per game last season, he is a seamless fit for Pope’s up-tempo, 3-heavy offense.
This past season, Momcilovic was named to second-team All-Big 12 and scored double figures in 30 of the Cyclones’ 37 games. In Iowa State’s NCAA Tournament second round game against Kentucky, Momcilovic had 20 points and five rebounds.
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It’s been a challenging offseason for the Wildcats, who have whiffed on many of their top recruiting targets, but those misses may have served them well in their quest for Momcilovic. Not only will UK have a bigger role in the team’s offense than his other suitors might have offered, but it figures to be able to have the most money to offer, without as many NIL resources tied up in other high-profile transfers.
Momcilovic is Kentucky’s sixth portal add this offseason, joining guards Zoom Diallo (Washington), Alex Wilkins (Furman), Jerone Morton (Washington State), forward Justin McBride (James Madison) and center Franck Kepnang (Washington).
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Milan Momcilovic commits to Kentucky basketball out of transfer portal
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