Iowa State Basketball Greatly Impacted by Koa Peat, Milan Momcilovic Decisions

The Iowa State Cyclones have been preparing for life without Milan Momcilovic for a few weeks at this point.

When he declared for the 2026 NBA Draft, head coach T.J. Otzelberger knew that his time in Ames was going to come to an end, even if he eventually withdrew. The Cyclones filled the roster with players in the transfer portal and used their NIL money on other players to upgrade the depth chart.

In an ideal world, Iowa State would have been able to wait until May 27, but the timing didn’t work. Now, a worst-case scenario is potentially playing out because of the decision that Momcilovic made.

He withdrew from the 2026 NBA Draft and will return to school. And now, there is a real chance that the Cyclones are going to have to game plan how to stop Momcilovic instead of having him on their side.

Koa Peat's draft decision could have major impact on Iowa State

Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat (10) during a practice session ahead of the Final Four. — Apr 3, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat (10) during a practice session ahead of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

That is because the Arizona Wildcats are now in the running for the sharpshooter. They emerged recently after it looked as if Koa Peat was going to keep his name in the 2026 NBA Draft. Now that Peat’s decision is official, and he is not returning to Tucson, the Wildcats are legitimate suitors for Momcilovic.

Out of all the programs that have been connected to the former Iowa State star, including the Kentucky Wildcats, Florida Gators, St. John’s Red Storm and Louisville Cardinals, Arizona is the best fit.

That is certainly a painful thing for Cyclones fans to see, but when taking a look at the state of each team, it would be hard to turn down the Wildcats if all of the NIL offers were in the same neighborhood of each other.

While Momcilovic has stated that money isn’t a main concern for him, he can reportedly command upward of $7 million. From a basketball perspective, Arizona has everything that he is looking for.

NEWS: Koa Peat is keeping his name in the NBA Draft, per multiple reports pic.twitter.com/2seR8yzJj7
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) May 28, 2026

If he wants a chance to win, the Wildcats provide that. They are coming off a Final Four appearance in the 2026 NCAA Tournament and restocked their backcourt with Dennis Dixon, a transfer from the North Carolina Tar Heels, and five-star recruit Caleb Holt.

Sliding Momcilovic into the lineup in Peat’s spot is a clean fit. After spending the first three years of his collegiate career in the Big 12, Momcilovic knows what it takes to succeed in the conference as well.

It is a worst-case scenario for Iowa State fans if they have to watch their team go up against Momcilovic, but it is a scenario that is possible because Peat decided to stay in the 2026 NBA Draft.

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