For a moment, Kentucky basketball fans had every reason to worry.
When the Wildcats learned that Milan Momcilovic had injured the index finger on his shooting hand, the possibility of a fracture immediately raised concerns about one of the most important pieces of Mark Pope’s upcoming roster.
Fortunately for Kentucky, further evaluation brought much better news.
Rather than suffering a broken finger, Momcilovic was diagnosed with a severe jam to the index finger on his shooting hand. The injury is still significant, but it is far less concerning than the fracture that was initially feared.
Momcilovic is expected to resume shooting in roughly 10 days and should be available when Kentucky begins fall practice.
That is a major development for a Wildcats team that has already dealt with its share of injury concerns during the offseason.
Kentucky Needs Momcilovic’s Shooting
Momcilovic’s importance to Kentucky goes well beyond simply making three-pointers.
The talented forward gives Mark Pope a dangerous perimeter weapon who can stretch defenses while allowing Kentucky to maintain size on the floor. His shooting forces opposing defenders to respect him beyond the arc, potentially opening driving lanes for Kentucky’s guards and creating more room for the Wildcats’ interior players.
Losing him for an extended period would have forced Kentucky to make significant adjustments.
Pope could have been forced to rely more heavily on smaller lineups, ask his guards to carry an even greater shooting burden or turn to less experienced frontcourt options to provide spacing.
Fortunately, that scenario does not appear necessary.
With Momcilovic expected to return to shooting before formal practices begin, he should have valuable time to regain his rhythm and confidence.
The Timing Could Work in Kentucky’s Favor
The injury reportedly occurred about a month ago, meaning Momcilovic has already had time to recover before the latest update.
Still, returning to the court and returning to full shooting form are two different things.
For an elite shooter, confidence in the injured hand is especially important. Momcilovic will need to feel comfortable handling the ball, absorbing contact and releasing shots naturally without subconsciously protecting the finger.
Kentucky should have no reason to rush that process.
There is little value in pushing Momcilovic through early September workouts if allowing him additional recovery time gives him a better chance of being completely comfortable once meaningful games arrive.
Another Encouraging Development for the Wildcats
Kentucky has also received encouraging news regarding Kam Williams.
Williams was recently seen participating in a workout without the walking boot he had been wearing following foot surgery, providing another positive sign for the Wildcats.
If both Williams and Momcilovic continue progressing as expected, Kentucky could enter the season with significantly more stability on the wing and in the frontcourt.
For now, Momcilovic does not need to prove anything during an early September workout.
What matters most is that his finger heals properly and that he is fully comfortable with his shooting hand when the season arrives.
The initial fear surrounding a possible fracture has now been replaced by a much more encouraging outlook.
For Kentucky, that is exactly the kind of injury update Big Blue Nation needed.
