Report: Iowa State forward Milan Momcilovic to withdraw from NBA Draft

Iowa State forward Milan Momcilovic will withdraw from the 2026 NBA Draft, ESPN’s Pete Thamel first reported Wednesday night.

Momcilovic, who was named a Second Team All-Big 12 selection last season, is currently On3’s No. 1 ranked player in the Transfer Portal. The Pewaukee, MI native averaged 16.9 points and 3.1 rebounds last season for the Cyclones, which earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in the past three seasons.

Per On3’s Joe Tipton, Kentucky, Louisville, Arizona, and St. John’s (in no particular order) are the schools to watch for Momcilovic. He outlined what he was looking for in a potential new destination earlier this month at the NBA Draft Combine.

“I’m not gonna go money hunt for like the top school that offers me the most money,” Momcilovic said. “So, I mean, obviously it’s really cool to hear some of those numbers, and it’s tempting. But for me, I don’t need all that. I just need a good spot where I can go.”

T.J. Otzelberger discusses Momcilovic’s transfer, NBA Draft decision

Momcilovic’s former head coach, T.J. Otzelberger, spoke highly of him and his future during his Tailgate Tour media availability earlier this month.

“I love Milan. Like, he’s my guy,” Otzelberger said. “Obviously, we had a couple of years’ relationship prior to him even coming to Iowa State, and I think what you want for everybody in your program is for their dreams to become a reality. And, obviously, with the season he had and how he’s continued to develop, he put himself in a great position for the draft. 

“And yet, at the same time, in the climate and the landscape of college athletics, it’s important to keep your options open and leave that available at the end if it isn’t to go your way. So, everything, all the conversations were great. I really respect how he went through and made his decisions, and I don’t think there’s anybody who’s a loser in this situation, right? We had a great experience with him for three seasons.

“He’s put himself in a great position to go get drafted; if that’s not able to happen for him, you know, it’s important that he’s able to find a landing spot at a college that fits what he’s looking for.”

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and X (formerly Twitter) account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.