Mark Pope made some progress after an underwhelming 2026 recruiting class. On Monday, the Kentucky Wildcats added a strong shooter to the team for the upcoming season. Milan Momcilovic, who withdrew his name from the 2026 NBA draft, announced his decision to play in Lexington.
On Tuesday, junior Trent Noah discussed the addition of Momcilovic to the team. He was excited about this addition and is looking forward to the upcoming season with Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats.
“It’s huge,” Noah said. “He’s obviously a really good player. We got to see first hand last year. Obviously, shoots great. I know coach Mark Pope is bringing in good people in the locker room. So that’s kind of another big thing for us.
“I’m super excited to get on campus here soon and get to work.”
Milan Momcilovic began his collegiate career with the Iowa State Cyclones in 2023. Last season, he was a part of the team that defeated Kentucky in the second round. In three seasons, he’s played in 102 games and averaged 13.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.
Apart from Momcilovic, Mark Pope also has center Malachi Moreno returning for another season in Lexington. Last month, the Kentucky coach said that retaining him was one of their biggest priorities in the offseason.
“Malachi Moreno was the number one priority for us going into this portal season,” Pope said as per Zack Geoghegan. “We think that he’s going to be the best center in all of college basketball next year at Kentucky.”
One of Kentucky’s biggest targets in this year’s recruiting class was Tyran Stokes. However, he ended up signing with the Kansas Jayhawks, earning Pope a lot of backlash and criticism. Four-star point guard Mason Williams, son of retired NBA guard Mo Williams, was the program’s biggest addition of the 2026 recruiting class.
Mark Pope has a big make-or-break year ahead
Mark Pope was the head coach of the BYU Cougars from 2019 to 2024. He was named the 23rd coach of Kentucky’s men’s basketball program in April 2024 after John Calipari left for Arkansas.
In his debut campaign, Kentucky made March Madness after losing to Alabama in the SEC Tournament quarterfinal. However, they were eliminated by Tennessee in the Sweet 16.
Last season, they failed to make the Sweet 16 after a round-of-32 elimination at the hands of Iowa State. This raised questions about Pope’s ability to lead the program that last won a national championship during the 2011-12 season.
Thus, the upcoming season is a critical point for Mark Pope’s job security. With the new additions to the roster, the fanbase is hopeful of a turnaround and potentially becoming a championship contender once again.
Also Read: Insider Highlights Key Problem for Mark Pope to Solve Even as Milan Momcilovic Adds Scoring Strength
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