Milan Momcilovic didn’t need much convincing once he figured out what Mark Pope was all about.
The top three-point scorer in the country is now Kentucky’s biggest transfer addition, and maybe the most consequential one Pope will land in Lexington. But the reason Momcilovic ended up in blue and white was pretty simple: he’d already seen how hard Pope’s teams are to beat.
In an interview with UK Sports Network, Momcilovic said the matchups against Pope at BYU stuck with him.
"I feel like just playing versus him at BYU really kind of stood out to me," Momcilovic began. "My first year or two at Iowa State we played against him, and man, his teams were tough to play against."
The proof was on display when BYU beat Iowa State 87-72 on January 16, 2024. Momcilovic finished with 11 points and went 3-10 from the field, while the Cougars buried 13 threes and shot nearly 40% from deep.
"A lot of shot-making they had..." Momcilovic added, "He really likes playing with shooters, so obviously that's my strength."
That fit matters because Momcilovic is walking into a situation built to showcase exactly what he does best. At Iowa State, he was often more of a second option, even while putting up nearly 17 points per game and shooting better than 48% from three. He was productive, but the offense wasn’t built entirely around his game.
That changes at Kentucky. Pope has made his preference for the three-point line clear, and Momcilovic now lands in a system that should lean into his shooting instead of asking him to fit around it. That’s why the expectation is an All-SEC type of leap.
Of course, it won’t happen in a vacuum. Kentucky will need Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins to create for him at a high level, and Malachi Moreno has to make the sophomore jump the staff expects.
If that all comes together and the group stays healthy, the Wildcats have the kind of roster that can keep launching from deep and burying opponents under a wave of threes. Momcilovic may have found the perfect coach for his game. In Rupp Arena, his ceiling looks enormous if the rest of the pieces fall into place.
In Other News...
Mark Pope Is Chasing A Massive Future Target With Kentucky Ties
Mark Pope is still working the long game on the recruiting trail, and one of the more intriguing names on Kentuckys board is a prospect with real Wildcats ties. Marcus Spears Jr. has already drawn attention as a future star, and his connection to five-star Kentucky commit Ryan Hampton gives the pursuit a little extra juice for a program that has made elite talent a priority under Pope.
Pope was in Texas this weekend to see Spears Jr. play in person, another sign that Kentucky is staying aggressive early with a player whose profile keeps rising. Spears Jr.s athletic background and ceiling have people around the game talking about big-time upside, but for now the chase is still in progress and there is no commitment to celebrate yet. [Read more 🡒]
Malachi Moreno Is Suddenly Drawing Serious Kentucky-To-NBA Buzz
Malachi Morenos rise has already put him on the radar in Lexington, and now the conversation around the Kentucky sophomore is getting louder in NBA circles. A long, skilled big man with real shot-blocking instincts and passing feel, Moreno has the kind of profile that can travel well at the next level, which is why some evaluators are beginning to view him as a potential top-end name in the 2027 draft conversation.
The intrigue is easy to understand, but so is the checklist he still has to work through. Moreno is being sized up as a possible lottery talent, yet he still needs to add strength, play with more physicality and continue developing his perimeter shot before the league will feel fully comfortable with his ceiling. For Kentucky, that makes his season one of the more important developmental storylines on the roster, with a lot of eyes already tracking how far his game can go. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Quaintance Update Has Big Blue Nation Reliving A Painful What If
Jayden Quaintances Kentucky stint never really had a chance to become a full story. A lingering knee injury kept him from contributing the way Big Blue Nation had hoped, and after appearing in just four games, he became one of the more frustrating recent what-ifs for a fan base that prizes both talent and staying power.
Now, with reports tying his latest setback to the same knee, the conversation around Quaintance has shifted from Kentucky regret to a much bigger concern about what comes next. Some fans still think of him as an unfulfilled prospect whose time in Lexington never got off the ground, while others see only the injury trouble and wonder how much of his basketball future will be swallowed up by it. [Read more 🡒]