Mark Pope’s Kentucky Wildcats missed out on several great targets in the transfer portal this year. They had a decent run last season, going 22-14 overall, including 10-8 in the conference. The Wildcats lost in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament.
Pope knows that the only way he can make his program a strong title contender is by adding more strength to the roster. Although the options in front of him are limited, there’s still some hope left for the Kentucky HC.
As per reports, Pope is eyeing a strong forward, still potentially available on the market. He recently had a Zoom meeting with Milan Momcilovic, a 6’8 power forward known for his incredible shooting skills.
Momcilovic has played for the Iowa State Cyclones from 2023 to 2026. In his last season, he averaged 16.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game while shooting over 50% from the field and 48.7% from the three-point line.
Momcilovic has shown incredible growth over the last few seasons, going from averaging 10.9 points in his first season to nearly 17 points in his last. His shooting prowess and a 6’8 frame are what make him a desirable prospect.
However, landing Momcilovic isn’t going to be easy. Although Pope isn’t facing strong competition from a rival program, Momcilovic believes he’s ready to head to the big league. Last month, he announced that he would enter the 2026 NBA Draft.
Interestingly, he is keeping his college basketball option open as he still has eligibility left. So, for Pope to land the talented forward, he needs to convince him to come to Kentucky while asking him to put his NBA dreams on hold for another year.
Mark Pope on Making Recruiting Changes
The Kentucky Wildcats head coach recently answered some fan questions in a video. Mark Pope received thousands of questions and was highly impressed by the enthusiasm shown by the fans.
One fan asked him what changes he’d bring to the recruiting process, as players seem to visit Kentucky but not commit to the program.
“The first change, I’d like to get all 20 kids to visit our campus,” he said. “That’s a major win, and there’s no limit. Second, I’d like to land a few. Third, this year, we were chasing a generational talent, and we fell a little short, but we weren’t sitting on our hands. We put together a roster that we are going to love watching crush it in Rupp Arena.”
Fans appreciated Pope and Kentucky’s effort in bringing the fans together to make them feel involved. More importantly, the head coach didn’t avoid tough questions, which made a good impression on fans.
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