Milan Momcilovic Receives Shocking Prediction for NBA Draft Decision

What is Milan Momcilovic going to do when it comes to staying or withdrawing from the NBA Draft?

Feb 28, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic (22) watches the time tick down in their loss to the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the second half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

All eyes are on former Iowa State Cyclones star Milan Momcilovic, who has only a few hours left to decide his basketball future.

Will he remain in the 2026 NBA Draft, declaring for it shortly after the Cyclones’ 2025-26 season came to an end in the Sweet 16 of the 2026 NCAA Tournament? Or will he withdraw and return to college basketball for one more season, which will also include picking a new school?

Iowa State would have loved to have Momcilovic for another year, but it wasn’t meant to be. The timing was poor because head coach T.J. Otzelberger could not afford to wait until May 27, the deadline for a player to withdraw from the draft. Moves had to be made in the transfer portal, so Momcilovic entered it himself.

All signs point to the sharpshooter returning to college, where he can cash in on a lucrative payday. However, there is one basketball analyst who believes that he will keep his name in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Milan Momcilovic predicted to stay in 2026 NBA Draft

Iowa State forward Milan Momcilovic poses for a portrait during Iowa State men's basketball media day at Hilton Coliseum on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024, in Ames. | Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Krysten Peek of NBA.com and Hoops HQ shared predictions for some of the biggest names who have a decision to make about returning to college or staying in the draft. Momcilovic was amongst them, and she has predicted that he will keep his name in the 2026 NBA Draft.

She believes that Koa Peat, Meleek Thomas, Tounde Yessoufou and Amari Allen will all do the same. Heading back to college, in her opinion, will be Jeremy Fears, Tyler Tanner, Billy Richmond and Andrej Stojakovic.

It will certainly be interesting to see how things shake out in the final hours ahead of the deadline. NBA executives didn’t share the kind of feedback Momcilovic was looking for, with an anonymous poll of 10 people all saying he should go back to college.

Alas, his entire focus since the offseason began has been on living out his dream of hearing his name called in the NBA draft. If he has received any feedback that being selected in the first round is possible, he will almost certainly take the risk of dropping into the second round.

Here are my predictions for the withdrawal deadline today...

STAY IN THE DRAFT: Koa Peat, Meleek Thomas, Tounde Yessoufou, Amari Allen, Milan Momcilovic

GO BACK TO COLLEGE: Jeremy Fears, Tyler Tanner, Billy Richmond, Andrej Stojakovic.

— Krysten Peek (@krystenpeek) May 27, 2026

That is a prediction many fan bases around the country are hoping doesn't come to fruition. The Kentucky Wildcats would love for Momcilovic to withdraw from the 2026 NBA Draft, as they are seen as the favorites by many people to secure a commitment from him.

They won’t be alone pursuing the history-making 3-point shooter. The Arizona Wildcats are reportedly a late entrant into the fray, considering Momcilovic as a replacement for Peat in their lineup. A move to Tucson would crush the Cyclone faithful.

The St. John’s Red Storm and Louisville Cardinals were two other teams mentioned as suitors for Momcilovic, but at this point, this looks to be a two-horse race.