Rising PF Milan Momcilovic interested in hearing more from Kentucky

We first introduced Milan Momcilovic to the Big Blue Nation about a month ago during the second Nike EYBL session of the season, which was held right outside of Indianapolis. A relatively unknown prospect from Pewaukee, WI coming into the spring, Momcilovic has seen his stock explode over the last couple of months. The 6-foot-8 stretch forward has earned two handfuls of scholarship offers since the month of April: Northwestern, Xavier, Creighton, Miami (FL), Virginia, UCLA, Michigan State, Ole Miss, and Texas.

Kentucky has yet to extend an offer, but the interest is there. The Wildcat coaching staff, including head coach John Calipari, made it a point to watch Momcilovic suit up for Team Herro in Indy last month. Playing for Team Herro, which is coached by Chris Herro, the father of former UK guard Tyler Herro, helped build an easy foundation for a connection. Chris Herro has been talking with Calipari about Momcilovic, and the rising senior is interested to hear even more from the ‘Cats.

“I haven’t talked to (Kentucky),” Momcilovic said this weekend in Louisville. “I know my coach, Chris Herro, he’s close with John Calipari and he said they’re gonna give me a call maybe here soon… If Kentucky reaches out that would be really cool. Just to see how interested they are in me.”

Momcilovic was one of the top scorers in Louisville over the weekend, where he and his Team Herro squad hit the court again for the third Nike EYBL session. He averaged 23.2 points across his five games, hitting 45.6 percent of his shots and 31.6 percent from beyond the arc as Team Herro finished the weekend 2-3. The incredibly well-rounded scorer posted at least 22 points in four of the five contests, including back-to-back performances of 30 and 26 points, respectively, to close out the event.

“I can pass, dribble, shoot. That’s what I do,” he said. “I can play inside-outside. I guess I can score from all three levels too.”

Momcilovic is as effective a scorer as there is in the 2023 class right now, particularly when he catches the ball on the block. There isn’t a spot on the floor he can’t shoot from and he doesn’t need superior athleticism or speed to get there. Instead, he uses crafty footwork to break down his defender.

“My footwork (in the post) is pretty good,” Momcilovic added. “So I can either get to the rim, fadeaway, drop-step. I’ve been playing in the post a lot.”

The comparison to Dirk Nowitzki is an easy (albeit highly unfair) one to make for Momcilovic, but he says he models his games after more guard-oriented forwards such as Jayson Tatum and Brandon Ingram, along with former Kentucky Wildcat Devin Booker. He’s not the quickest or most athletic player on the floor and will need to work on bulking up his frame if he wants to play power forward at the next level. But that being said, there aren’t many guys in this class who can put up 20 points as effortlessly as he can.

It’s tough to say whether or not Momcilovic will earn an offer from the ‘Cats, but there was clearly some interest in April that doesn’t appear to have died down yet. He’s already taken official visits to Minnesota (February) and Iowa State (December) with two more locked in this summer to Virginia (first weekend of June) and UCLA (June 15-16). Iowa State has been leading the charge from the jump, offering him back in September 2021.

That leaves one more official visit Momcilovic is allowed to take, which he says could either go to Michigan State or Texas. If Kentucky were to finally reach out, they would surely enter the running for that final OV.