Milan Momcilovic wasted no time making himself at home in Kentucky blue.
In the Wildcats’ 69-49 exhibition win over Little Rock, a team led by former Kentucky standout Travis Ford, the highly regarded transfer stepped onto the floor for the first time in a Kentucky jersey and immediately looked like the same shooter who made him one of the most coveted names in the portal. Momcilovic scored the first points of the 2026-27 Kentucky basketball season with a fadeaway mid-range jumper, then finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and 4-of-7 shooting from deep.
The debut had a little bit of everything Kentucky fans wanted to see. Momcilovic delivered one of the night’s cleanest highlights when he picked off a pass, pushed the ball up the floor, went behind the back and buried a three from the top of the key. It was the kind of play that reminded everyone why so many programs were pushing hard for him after his transfer from Iowa State and his decision to withdraw from the 2026 NBA draft.
Momcilovic has said plenty of times that Mark Pope’s system was a major factor in his recruitment, and the fit looked obvious in this one. Even with some early-season rust, he found ways to impact the game in a hurry.
“I was looking for my first double-double today, but I fell a little short - I’ll take seven rebounds, though.”
He followed that by keeping the evaluation honest.
“I feel like it was a good debut,” he added. “Definitely a little rusty on offense.
It wasn’t our best performance. We’ll learn from it.
That’s why it’s a scrimmage,” Momcilovic said.
He also made it clear what he wants his volume to look like going forward. After taking seven three-point attempts, he said the target is to get into double figures from beyond the arc every night.
”The goal is to shoot double-digit 3s every game,” he said.
That sets up an intriguing next chapter for a player who already has Kentucky’s all-time three-point record in sight. Jodie Meeks owns that mark with 117 made threes, and Momcilovic’s first night in action suggested that chase could heat up quickly once the regular season begins.
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Kentucky's Linebacker Situation Just Took Another Unexpected Turn
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For Kentucky, the timing matters because Afaris status directly affects a depth chart that has been under pressure at inside linebacker. His return gives the Wildcats another option in a spot where every available body counts, even as the larger eligibility fight continues to play out in court. [Read more 🡒]