NBA Draft Decision Should Be Easy One for Milan Momcilovic

The deadline for players to withdraw their names from the 2026 NBA Draft is upon us, which has a lot of eyes on former Iowa State Cyclones star Milan Momcilovic.

Shortly after their 2025-26 season came to an end with a loss to the Tennessee Volunteers in the Sweet 16 of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Momcilovic announced that he would be putting his name into the 2026 NBA Draft.

It wasn’t too surprising a decision. He was coming off a historic 3-point shooting campaign, breaking the Iowa State single-season record while becoming the first player in men’s basketball history to lead the country in 3-pointers made (136) and 3-point percentage (48.7%) in the same season.

Momcilovic also entered the transfer portal in a difficult, but necessary move. Had he not done that, T.J. Otzelberger would not have been able to fill out the roster in fashion, which he did; the Cyclones could not afford to wait until the May 27 deadline to upgrade their roster.

Milan Momcilovic should withdraw from NBA draft

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

Now that the deadline is here, Momcilovic has until 11:59 pm ET to make a decision. While he will assuredly take his time, this should be a relatively easy choice: come back to school.

He has elite 3-point shooting that NBA teams covet. His offensive game is more developed than people give him credit for, as he can score from every level of the court with an array of post-up moves and turnaround jumpers.

That shooting skill was on full display at the NBA draft combine, but the other areas of his game leave something to be desired. He isn’t much of a playmaker on the offensive end, and his athleticism was going to be tested defensively, especially in one-on-one situations.

These are all shortcomings that Momcilovic is aware of and is working diligently to overcome. However, his draft stock almost certainly isn’t where he was hoping it would be. It is hard to envision a franchise taking a shot on him in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, and even landing a guaranteed NBA contract would have been challenging.

The Iowa State star has said all along that money isn’t what he is focused on, as he wants to live out his dream of hearing his name called at the NBA Draft. However, NBA executives unanimously believed he should return to school.

🚨 STAY OR GO 🚨

Players have until 11:59 PM ET to withdraw from the NBA Draft and maintain their college eligibility

Who should stay in the draft and who should go back to school? 🤔⬇️ pic.twitter.com/46xAeX5YyE
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) May 27, 2026

While that may not be what he was hoping to hear, it is a decision that has become clear as the right one to make. Also, money may not have been his No. 1 priority, but he is going to get paid handsomely should he return to college basketball.

There have been some massive NIL numbers thrown out, with reports of him potentially commanding $7 million. A bidding war could unfold with the Kentucky Wildcats seemingly being the favorite right now, but the Arizona Wildcats are reportedly lurking.

The St. John’s Red Storm and Louisville Cardinals have also been mentioned as potential suitors.

At this point in the offseason, most programs have set their rosters and allocated NIL funds. But, there will certainly be enough money to pay the No. 1 player in the transfer portal coming off a historic junior season.

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