Kentucky made one of the biggest transfer additions of the offseason when former Iowa State standout Milan Momcilovic committed to Mark Pope and the Wildcats. The elite shooter arrives in Lexington with high expectations, and according to Momcilovic, Pope’s coaching played a major role in his decision.
Speaking with the UK Sports Network, Momcilovic revealed that his respect for Pope began long before Kentucky entered the picture. During Pope’s time at BYU, the two faced each other multiple times, and those battles left a lasting impression.
“I feel like just playing versus him at BYU really kind of stood out to me,” Momcilovic said. “My first year or two at Iowa State we played against him, and man, his teams were tough to play against.”
Those matchups showed Momcilovic exactly what kind of coach Pope is. BYU’s disciplined style, physical defense, and ability to stretch the floor with shooters made the Cougars one of the most difficult teams Iowa State faced.
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Momcilovic also pointed to Pope’s offensive philosophy as another major reason Kentucky felt like the perfect fit.
“He really likes playing with shooters, so obviously that’s my strength,” Momcilovic explained.
That philosophy aligns perfectly with Momcilovic’s game. Widely regarded as one of the nation’s top three-point shooters, he now joins a coach who has consistently built offenses around spacing, ball movement, and perimeter shooting.
During his time at Iowa State, Momcilovic developed into one of the Big 12’s most dangerous scorers, averaging nearly 17 points per game while shooting close to 48% from beyond the arc. Even with that production, he often played in an offense that wasn’t designed entirely around his shooting ability.
At Kentucky, that could change.
Pope’s system gives shooters the freedom to thrive, creating an opportunity for Momcilovic to elevate his game even further. If everything comes together, he has the potential to become one of the SEC’s top players and a centerpiece of Kentucky’s offense.
Kentucky’s success will also depend on strong guard play, continued development across the roster, and staying healthy throughout the season. If those pieces fall into place, the Wildcats could emerge as one of the nation’s most dangerous perimeter-shooting teams.
For Momcilovic, the decision to transfer wasn’t just about wearing Kentucky blue—it was about joining a coach whose system perfectly fits his strengths. After battling Mark Pope’s teams for years, he now has the chance to flourish under the very coach who first earned his respect.
