When Milan Momciovic officially landed in Lexington, Mark Pope secured one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in all of college basketball. Momcilovic suiting up in the blue and white changes the currently roster entirely.
Kentucky needed another floor-spacing shooter to pair with the rest of the roster, which is scattered with up-down scorers from range. In Momcilovic, the Wildcats certainly found it. Momcilovic led the nation last year by shooting 48.7% from three on high volume (7.5 attempts per game). But he isn't simply a one dimensional scorer.
Momcilovic excels coming off screens. Even better? He can score with ease in transition, too. Mark Pope's offense is at its best when the floor is spaced, and cutters can slash into the paint to force defenders to make a quick decision: give up a layup, or an open three to a sniper. Momcilovic is the guy waiting outside.
Leaving Room For the Guards
The five-star forward will have the attention of every opposer on the floor, leaving extra room for Alex Wilkins and Zoom Diallo to get into the paint, where they each operate best. Last year, defenses really only had to worry about Collin Chandler on a consistent basis last season; just about everyone else was left alone to shoot it.
When No. 5 was locked up, the Cats' offense stalled. That shouldn't be an issue this time around.
Jerone Morton, Kam Williams, Justin McBride, and Milan Momcilovic have all hit at least 38% from deep at some point in their college careers, with three of them eclipsing 40%.
But what sets Momcilovic apart is what he's able to do before he gets a shot up. His footwork is elite. In addition, Momcilovic has a lightning fast trigger, exhibiting basically no dip or hitch in his release,. When he catches the ball high, he keeps it high and fires. And his height is a huge advantage, too.
A One-of-One Shooter
At 6-foot-8, Momcilovic's shooting pocket and release point are incredibly high. This makes his shot virtually unblock-able for most perimeter defenders on closeouts; he utilizes it in the paint too, with a Dirk Nowitzki-esque fadeaway.
Momcilovic also shot an absurd 49% on off-the-dribble threes last year, and was almost 55% on catch and shoot 3's. Just look at this ridiculous stat from Darrell Bird on X:
The most tantalizing thing about Milan Momcilovic possibly joining @KentuckyMBB: Regarding 3-pointers, he was No. 1 in nation at 48.7% and No. 5 in makes, but only No. 36 in attempts. @CoachMarkPope will fix that.
— Darrell Bird (@DarrellBird) May 30, 2026
Of course, he isn't a perfect player. Momcilovic has his limitations.
He isn't going to stay in front of explosive SEC guards on an island, and his lateral quickness isn't high-ranking. Momcilovic's tendency to play off a half-step gives him time to adjust and react, and his height allows him to contest most often regardless.
Rebounding is also an issue, but with the opportunity to be the clear No. 1 option in a tailored offense, Momcilovic goes beyond being a great fit in Lexington. He has the potential to be an SEC Player of the Year and the engine that drives Kentucky deep into March.
It simply cannot be overstated how big a win this is for Mark Pope. No. 22 is about to blow the doors off Rupp Arena.
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