Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Kentucky secured a last-minute transfer portal win just days before the preseason rankings deadline.
- Milan Momcilovic gives the team a proven scorer and elite shooter, but it doesn't offset a summer of roster losses and missed opportunities.
- The SEC looks stacked this season, and even with the new talent, the team faces pressure to prove they belong in the national conversation.
A disastrous offseason for the Kentucky Wildcats appears to have been salvaged at the last minute. Mark Pope pulled a rabbit out of his hat by securing the services of former Iowa State forward Milan Momcilovic, the top remaining player in the transfer portal, on Tuesday.
Momcilovic, who flirted with the NBA Draft before deciding to return to college, showcased his perimeter shooting prowess throughout the season for the Cyclones. That performance included a staggering 48.7 percent mark from beyond the arc, which played a big role in Momcilovic's average of 16.9 points per game.
Iowa State also benefited from some outstanding heaters from Momcilovic, including a 28-point barrage that saw him knock down eight triples in a nail-biting loss to Arizona in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals. Landing Momcilovic will be a big help to Pope's offense, which can thrive having a forward who can stretch the floor like Momcilovic does.
Why Milan Momcilovic alone won't lift Kentucky into the preseason polls
We didn't have Kentucky ranked inside the post-NBA Draft withdrawal deadline Top 25 for a reason. Pope simply lost too much talent in the offseason and has had a terrible time trying to replace it, losing out on top recruit Tyran Stokes to Kansas and having a series of embarassing whiffs earlier in portal season.
Kentucky looked bad when they tried hard to land Rob Wright, only to watch the star guard return to BYU, while also missing out on Donnie Freeman (who landed at St. John's) among others. There is enough talent on the Wildcats' roster to challenge for the top five of the SEC, especially with Malachi Moreno's decision to return to school, but there isn't enugh to warrant inclusion inside the Top 25.
Some of Pope's SEC competition looks incredibly loaded, such as new No. 1 Florida, which kept its entire front line and made strong portal adds. Tennessee also loaded up with an elite combination of scoring from the portal, including Wake Forest guard Juke Harris, who should offer Rick Barnes' group significant firepower.
Fighting for a top five spot in a competitive SEC is not the bar the Wildcats were hoping for when they moved on from John Calipari two years ago. It took a miraculous shot from Otega Oweh to prevent the Wildcats from being bounced in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, which is also a lower bar than Kentucky fans are used to.
This year could be a make-or-break one for Pope and perhaps having lower expectations could make his achievements look better. Keeping Momcilovic away from Louisville, which was the runner up in that sweepstakes, is a help but he will need to get better on-court results to get Big Blue Nation off his back.
More college basketball news and analysis:
Add us as a preferred source on Google