Milan Momcilovic is returning to college basketball.
Let the bidding war begin.
The former Pewaukee High School star waited until just a few hours before the NBA draft withdrawal deadline on May 27 to announce his decision via his agency, Excel Basketball.
Momcilovic, who spent three seasons at Iowa State, had previously entered the NCAA transfer portal when he also decided to test the NBA draft waters.
The 6-foot-9 sharpshooter instantly becomes the most coveted player available in college hoops. His elite skill – Momcilovic shot a blistering 48.6% on his 280 3-point attempts last season – makes him a fit for any team.
Big-budget programs like Kentucky, St. John’s, Arizona and Louisville have all been reported as Momcilovic’s suitors.
“I feel like I’ve been in college for three years and I know kind of what to ask and what to look for,” Momcilovic said at the NBA draft combine in early May. “So I don’t need to go on like a visit or anything. I can probably choose pretty quickly. And also there’s not a lot of schools that still have a lot of money and a lot of roster spots left. So it’s not like I’m choosing between 15 schools. It’s going to be three or four.”
The demand for Momcilovic’s services will likely make him one of the most highly compensated players in college hoops next season. Many of the sport’s observers expect him to command at least $5 million. That’s much more than Momcilovic would get as a second-round pick in the NBA, which is where most mock drafts had him slotted. He said at the NBA combine that those high figures would also likely price out Iowa State.
Momcilovic was a highly decorated player at Pewaukee, winning three straight WIAA Division 2 state championships and claiming the Associated Press and Gatorade player of the year awards as a senior while also being named co-Mr. Basketball.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Pewaukee’s Milan Momcilovic withdraws from NBA draft, will be top transfer target
Reporting by Ben Steele, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
