Milan Momcilovic withdraws from NBA draft, set for college returnJeff BorzelloClose
ESPN Staff Writer
- Basketball recruiting insider.
- Joined ESPN in 2014.
- Graduate of University of Delaware.
Momcilovic No. 1 portal target after exiting draft…
Former Iowa State forward Milan Momcilovic, the No. 1 player in the transfer portal this spring, is withdrawing his name from the NBA draft and will play college basketball next season, his agents at Excel Basketball told ESPN.
Kentucky, Louisville, St. John’s and Arizona are expected to be the primary schools involved in his recruitment, sources stated.
Momcilovic went through the NBA draft process, earning an invitation to the combine. He cemented himself as one of the elite shooters in the pool of players, shooting nearly 69% in the four shooting drills.
But he was No. 38 in ESPN’s most recent mock draft, and with the first round likely out of reach, Momcilovic now becomes the most sought-after player on the market in college basketball.
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He immediately became the No. 1 player in the portal when he unveiled his intentions to transfer back in mid-April and has remained atop ESPN’s rankings.
Kentucky, Louisville and St. John’s have long been involved, and Arizona has been recruiting Momcilovic for a few weeks in anticipation of forward Koa Peat remaining in the NBA draft, which sources validated Wednesday night.
The best shooter in college basketball last season, the 6-foot-8 Momcilovic averaged 16.9 points and shot 48.7% from 3-point range. He ranked fifth in the country in 3-pointers made and was first in 3-point shooting percentage.
He had notable single-game performances of 34 points and eight 3-pointers against Cincinnati; 29 points and five 3-pointers against Oklahoma State; and 28 points and eight 3-pointers against Arizona in the Big 12 tournament.
In Momcilovic’s three seasons in Ames, Iowa State won 83 games and made two Sweet 16 appearances.
He’s one of three starters exiting the Cyclones this offseason, along with four-year starting point guard Tamin Lipsey and All-American forward Joshua Jefferson. Lipsey and Jefferson are out of eligibility.
