Milan Momcilovic Shares What Needs To Happen To Stay in NBA Draft

Former Iowa State Cyclones star Milan Momcilovic is one of many players hoping to hear his name called during the 2026 NBA Draft.

He put his name into the pool and entered the transfer portal, effectively ending his time with the Cyclones. However, just because he declared for the NBA draft, it doesn’t mean that his collegiate career is over.

Momcilovic will have until May 27 to decide whether or not he wants to keep his name in the pool of players eligible to be selected during the 2026 NBA Draft. Partaking in the NBA draft combine, he spoke about what will go into his decision whether to head back to college or not.

In a clip shared by Isaac Trotter of CBS Sports, the Iowa State sharpshooter is essentially looking for some sort of guarantee. He knows that it may not come ahead of the May 27 deadline, but he is seeking out a range of possibilities where he could be selected.

Milan Momcilovic discusses decision to stay in draft or not

Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic (22) reacts after a three-point shot against Baylor. — Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic (22) reacts after a three-point shot against Baylor during the first half in the Big-12 men’s basketball on Feb. 7, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Based on his comments, Momcilovic will stick in the 2026 NBA Draft if he gets the impression he will be selected in the first round or early second round. If his stock is trending toward being in the back half of the second round or as an undrafted free agent, he would return to college.

A guaranteed contract is what the sharpshooter is looking for. If he doesn’t look like he will be getting that from an NBA team, he can certainly earn a nice chunk of change via NIL payments returning to school.

There are reportedly three schools that are in the mix for him: the Kentucky Wildcats, St. John’s Red Storm and Louisville Cardinals. There is a lot of NIL money for those programs to hand out, and Momcilovic has certainly put himself in a position to get paid.

Iowa State sniper transfer Milan Momcilovic dishes on his stay-or-go decision, what he’s looking for in college and what he needs to hear from NBA decision-makers to stay ahead of the May 27 deadline.

Kentucky, St. John’s and Louisville are in the mix here. pic.twitter.com/x7Iqw2xYnh
— Isaac Trotter (@Isaac__Trotter) May 13, 2026

The No. 1-ranked player in the transfer portal this cycle, Momcilovic, would be a massive addition to any team’s roster. He was the best shooter in college basketball last year, and it wasn't particularly close.

During the 2025-26 season, he led men’s basketball in 3-point shooting percentage, making 48.7% of his attempts, and 3-pointers made, with 136. He is the first player to ever lead the country in both stats in a single season.

Returning to school and performing at a high level for a second straight year would certainly help improve his NBA draft stock. With the 2027 class projected to be weaker than this year’s, he could put himself in a better position to be drafted next year with a strong campaign.

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