T.J. Otzelberger Optimistic Iowa State Basketball Star Can Be First Round Pick

The Iowa State Cyclones have multiple players who are hoping their lifelong dream of playing in the NBA comes to fruition in a few weeks at the draft.

Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic all participated in different NBA draft combines and will be doing workouts in the coming weeks to improve their stock and showcase their talents in front of different franchises.

With just two days until the deadline for players to remove their names from the draft pool and maintain eligibility for college basketball, a difficult decision lies ahead. Of the three, Momcilovic is the only one who has eligibility remaining. Alas, based on some evaluators, the decision should be an easy one for him.

Anonymous NBA executives who were polled unanimously said Momcilovic should go back to college. However, his former head coach, T.J. Otzelberger, isn’t buying that and remains optimistic that the sharpshooter will be selected in the first round, while also discussing Jefferson.

T.J. Otzelberger optimisic Milan Momcilovic can be selected in first round

Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic (22) reacts at the end of the game. — Mar 13, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic (22) reacts at the end of the game against the Arizona Wildcats at T-Mobile Center. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

“So, look, I’m someone that, like, obviously both guys won us a lot of games and did a lot for us. It’d be great to see them both be first round picks. I think there’s variables that can happen, but I still think even in Milan’s case, when you’re a team out there and you say, okay, every team needs a shooter, once you get past the first 20 picks, and they want something you know can translate, like who has the best shooter on the board, right? So, we’ll see. I’m optimistic both can be first round picks,” Otzelberger said, via Bill Seals of Cyclone Report (subscription required).

It is certainly nice to hear his former coach is in his corner, but the reality of the situation is that Momcilovic has some weaknesses in his game that NBA teams are not sold on him being able to overcome.

He has the self-awareness to know those exist and wants to prove that he is capable of performing at the level necessary to play in the NBA. His athleticism is a weakness, which will present challenges defensively, especially in one-on-one situations.

However, there have been plenty of players who are viewed as one-dimensional who have found success as professionals. And some of those players don’t have a singular skill as elite as Momcilovic is as a shooter.

T.J. Otzelberger goes in-depth on what the five transfer portal additions are bringing to Ames.

Leon Bond: "Coming from Northern Iowa, an extremely athletic guard that could play multiple positions. We see him as a guy that can make more plays than what he's been asked to do up… pic.twitter.com/1JwaGHopNI
— Jake Brend (@JakeBrendTV) May 19, 2026

He made history during the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season, becoming the first player to lead the country in both 3-pointers made and 3-point shooting percentage. He knocked down 136 3-pointers at a 48.7% clip.

That is a skill every NBA team will take a chance on. However, it being in the first round is unlikely, which could lead Momcilovic back to college.

If he forgoes the NBA for one more year, he is setting himself up for a massive payday as the No. 1-ranked player in the transfer portal.

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