Iowa State Cyclones' Rising Star Could Become Player of the Year Candidate

Which player from the Iowa State Cyclones could become a Player of the Year candidate?

Jan 10, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger talks with Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic (22) and Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) in their game with the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the first half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones are once again building momentum heading into February, and one of their star players has really been elevating his game to the next level. 

Coming into the season, the Cyclones were expected to be a strong team in a loaded Big 12 conference. While the conference has undoubtedly been one of the best in college basketball with a plethora of teams that can contend for a title, Iowa State has exceeded most expectations. 

This was a group that was bringing back a fair amount of talent, and they really took their games to the next level. While all eyes were coming into the year on Tamin Lipsey and Joshua Jefferson, another star has emerged for the program. 

Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report recently released his Top 10 candidates for the Player of the Year in college basketball. Even though he didn’t make the list yet, Milan Momcilovic was mentioned as a player on the rise who could be in the conversation in the coming weeks. 

Momcilovic Emerging as a Star

Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The junior forward had been a solid contributor for the last two years for the Cyclones, but his development this year has been extremely impressive. While Momcilovic was playing just about 30 minutes per game in both his freshman and sophomore campaigns, he was averaging just a touch over 10 points per game. 

This season, he has seen a massive increase in production, and a main reason for that has been his ability to shoot the ball from beyond the arc. So far this year, he is averaging 18.6 points per game, while shooting 55.5% from the field and 53.9% from three-point range. 

While there might be some limitations in his game on the defensive end, he more than makes up for that offensively. Momcilovic has become one of the best scorers in the country and is the best shooter currently. The junior has been able to hit eight three-pointers in three games so far this year, creating havoc for opposing defenses. 

The combination along with Lipsey and Jefferson really complements each other nicely on the court. Even though Jefferson has been the top player on the team this campaign with his all-around performance, Momcilovic might be closing in on him with his ability to light it up from three-point range. Overall, it is easy to see why the team has been able to have so much success with the emergence of Momcilovic.