Kentucky Basketball may have found one of its most dangerous offensive weapons, and Milan Momcilovic wasted little time showing what he could bring to Mark Pope’s team.
The Wildcats opened their 2026-27 season with an impressive 85-57 victory over Manhattan on Tuesday night. Although Kentucky had to overcome a slow start, the offense eventually found its rhythm, with three-point shooting becoming one of the biggest highlights of the night.
And Momcilovic was at the center of it all.
The talented forward delivered an outstanding performance in his first regular-season appearance in a Kentucky uniform, knocking down six of his nine attempts from beyond the arc. His 66.7% shooting from three-point range was particularly impressive and immediately showed why Pope wanted him in Lexington.
In fact, Momcilovic tied Antonio Reeves for the most three-pointers made by a Kentucky player in his regular-season debut.
That is quite a way to introduce yourself to Big Blue Nation.
What makes his performance even more encouraging is how perfectly it fits into Pope’s offensive philosophy.
The Kentucky head coach has consistently emphasized his desire for the Wildcats to attempt between 30 and 35 three-pointers per game. Against Manhattan, Kentucky attempted 31 and converted 12, finishing with an impressive 38.7% shooting percentage.
Momcilovic accounted for half of those successful attempts.
Alex Wilkins also played an important role, connecting on three of his six attempts from beyond the arc. His contribution gave Kentucky another perimeter threat capable of making opposing defenses pay.
However, Momcilovic’s performance could have an even bigger impact as the season progresses.
Opposing teams will have to pay close attention whenever he gets the ball beyond the arc. Defenders cannot afford to give him too much space, and that could create additional opportunities for his teammates.
If Kentucky can consistently get this kind of shooting production from Momcilovic while developing other reliable perimeter options, the Wildcats could become an extremely difficult team to defend.
Of course, one impressive performance does not guarantee a successful season. Stronger opponents will present tougher defensive challenges, and consistency will ultimately determine how dangerous this Kentucky team can become.
Still, Momcilovic has given Kentucky fans plenty of reasons to be excited.
His season debut was not just about six made three-pointers. It was a glimpse of the offensive firepower Mark Pope could have at his disposal.
College basketball has been put on notice: Kentucky may have found a serious shooting weapon.
