The field of potential destinations for Iowa State forward Milan Momcilovic has been reduced to three: Arizona, Kentucky and Louisville. The narrowing follows roster movement elsewhere in the landscape of college basketball transfers and appears to have intensified recruitment chatter around the 6-foot-7 wing who spent the last three seasons with the Cyclones.
St. John’s, which had been mentioned among teams pursuing Momcilovic, recently added Baylor transfer Tounde Yessoufou. That addition effectively filled a roster spot and the related NIL resources St. John’s had available, removing the Red Storm from the running and leaving Arizona, Kentucky and Louisville as the reported finalists for Momcilovic’s services.
Momcilovic closed out his third season at Iowa State with eye-catching efficiency numbers. He averaged 16.9 points per game on 50.6% shooting overall and an outstanding 48.7% from three-point range while attempting 7.5 triples per contest — figures that led all Division I players in three-point percentage qualifying by volume. He also averaged 3.1 rebounds and one assist in 30.5 minutes per game and made 37 starts last season. Since transferring to Iowa State for the 2023-24 season, he has been a consistent double-digit scorer.
Iowa State forward Milan Momcilovic (22) during a Cyclones game — Momcilovic is reportedly down to Arizona and two other schools in his transfer decision.
Arizona’s interest in Momcilovic intensified in part because of roster and draft developments in Tucson. Koa Peat, who could have factored into the Wildcats’ rotation next season, has elected to keep his name in the 2026 NBA Draft and not return to school. Peat’s decision both frees a potential starting spot and clears payroll that would have been tied to him, making Arizona a more attractive and practical landing spot for a player of Momcilovic’s profile.
Those connected to the recruiting process have noted Arizona has been working to gain traction in the race; one national college basketball analyst pointed to Peat’s draft decision as the catalyst that made Arizona a more visible and plausible option. The analyst emphasized that Peat’s departure would open both minutes and cap space, creating room for a transfer who can stretch the floor and supply outside scoring — strengths that match Momcilovic’s skill set.
Adding Momcilovic to Arizona’s projected rotation would change the complexion of the team’s starting five. Projected starters include point guard Derek Dixon and shooting guard Caleb Holt, with Ivan Kharchenkov listed at small forward and Montiejus Krivas at center. Momcilovic’s arrival would give the Wildcats another long, shooting wing capable of high-volume three-point shooting, which would shift matchups and spacing for opposing defenses.
Milan Momcilovic speaking to media at a team availability; the Iowa State transfer has Arizona among his final three suitors.
Kentucky and Louisville remain in the mix as well, both schools with histories of integrating transfers into immediate roles. For Momcilovic, the decision will weigh roster opportunity, playing time, and the financial landscape of NIL agreements that often accompany high-profile transfers. The addition of Yessoufou to St. John’s generally closed that door by occupying both a scholarship and the financial commitments that would have been necessary to bring another high-level transfer into the fold.
At Iowa State, Momcilovic established himself as a prolific and efficient scorer, particularly from long range. His 48.7% three-point clip on a substantial volume of attempts drew national attention and positioned him as one of the most dangerous floor-spacers in the transfer market this offseason. That combination of size, shooting, and volume has been a premium commodity for power-conference programs seeking to upgrade perimeter scoring immediately.
Recruiting timelines for transfers can move fast, especially as programs begin to fill out rosters and adjust to departures to the NBA Draft. With Momcilovic’s list trimmed to three, the expectation inside college basketball circles is that his decision could come relatively quickly as finalists navigate remaining scholarship availability, roster fits and NIL considerations. Until he makes a formal announcement, Arizona, Kentucky and Louisville will remain positioned as the leading options for a player who finished last season as one of Division I’s most efficient perimeter scorers.