Milan Momcilovic Return Is Virtually Impossible for Iowa State

Iowa State Cyclones star Milan Momcilovic made a seismic decision recently, announcing that he is entering the transfer portal after already putting his name in the 2026 NBA Draft pool.

His focus right now is entirely on living out his dream and hearing his name get called when the NBA draft is underway on June 23 and June 24. Given his elite shooting ability, he will certainly get looks from some franchises in the league.

But for him to solidify his standing as an NBA draft prospect, he has some work to do. The athletic training in the pre-draft process will be important for him, and he has to showcase that he can do more than just shoot and score the basketball.

It will be interesting to see what kind of feedback he receives from evaluators. With a year of eligibility remaining, he could always return to men’s college basketball for the 2026-27 season.

Bringing back Milan Momcilovic is virtually impossible for Iowa State

Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic driving against Tennessee Volunteers forward Jaylen Carey. — Mar 27, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic (22) drives the ball against Tennessee Volunteers forward Jaylen Carey (23) in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Midwest Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

However, if that occurs, a return to Iowa State is virtually impossible to foresee. It is likely a big part of the reason, through conversations with head coach T.J. Otzelberger, that it was determined entering the portal was the best decision for him and his family.

It would not have been fair to the Cyclones to wait and see what decision Momcilovic would ultimately make. Holding a scholarship, spot on the roster and NIL money was not a feasible thing for the program to do given the fast-paced nature of the transfer portal.

With so many holes on the roster already needing to be addressed, Iowa State moved rapidly. They hosted five players who were in the transfer portal for visits, and all five of them committed to the program.

Adding Leon Bond III, Taj Manning, Jaquan Johnson, Tre Singleton and Ryan Prather Jr. to the roster means the team’s roster is set at 15, including walk-on Anthony Rise. Without any scholarships left, it would seem that the Cyclones' roster for the 2026-27 season is set.

Cyclones have restocked roster with transfers, Class of 2026

Jan 2, 2026; Mesa, AZ, USA; Spire Institute (OH) forward Dorian Rinaldo-Komlan (14) against Arizona Compass Prep during the HoopHall West Tournament at Skyline High School. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Along with the five transfers, there are four players in the Class of 2026 coming to the school: Yusef Gray Jr., Christian Wiggins, Jackson Kiss and Dorian Rinaldo-Komlan. Nine newcomers in total, with five holdovers from last season’s roster, don’t leave wiggle room for Momcilovic on the roster.

Otzelberger would have loved to bring the record-breaking junior sharpshooter back for his last year of eligibility, but it wasn’t meant to be with how things lined up. Parting ways is difficult, but ultimately what is best for both programs.

Momcilovic gets to try and live out his dream of making the NBA, and if he decides to return to college basketball, he will find plenty of suitors who can afford to pay him what he is worth in NIL money.

Meanwhile, Iowa State has reloaded, looking to have the required depth to make a run in next year’s NCAA tournament.

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