With the NBA Draft coming up June 23-24, three Cyclones’ statuses are up in the air. There is a world where Joshua Jefferson, Tamin Lipsey and Milan Momcilovic each get drafted, and there is a world where only Jefferson has his name called.
Momcilovic is by far the most interesting case. He is rapidly running out of time to decide if he wants to keep his name entered in the draft or return to college. Many expect Momcilovic to land in the early second round of the draft if he stays in the draft beyond the May 27 deadline. He has gone on record saying the NBA is where he wants to be, so it will be interesting to see if being picked in the 30s or 40s is good enough for him to make the jump.
Many fans have brushed off Momcilovic’s decision since his days as a Cyclone are almost certainly over, even if he returns to college, but sending three players to the NBA in one season would be a massive box checked by the staff. There are so many talented recruits that are looking for a school that can help them grow from a talented high school ball player into a true professional.
If Momcilovic does return to school for another year, Iowa State fans may remember him as a Cyclone; however, the national narrative will not. For Momcilovic, he is one of the most unique players in the draft class. He is a lights out shooter that can do it on the move, spotting up, from the corner, from the top, from 30 feet or off a screen. That alone makes him worthy of a shot, but he also has holes to his game, including lateral movement speed. If Momcilovic turns out to be an average NBA defender, he could legitimately become a household name in the league, but that is a big if.
Lipsey is projected by most to go undrafted, likely signing a deal to compete in the G-League or overseas if he is interested. There is a world where he is drafted right around the very end of the draft if a team sees the perfect fit, but it is looking unlikely according to most projections.
Lipsey will always go down as a hometown hero, starring as the team’s point guard for four years, committing to Iowa State after growing up in Ames and repeatedly saying he would love to play in Hilton Coliseum forever if it was allowed. He deserves all the praise and more, truly becoming the face of the Otzelberger-era thus far.
He is being overlooked by many due to his size as well as not having an automatic three-point shot. I could see Lipsey developing into a backup point guard in the NBA that plays with a high motor, initiates the offense and makes the right decisions after a few years of G-League development.
I saved Jefferson for last because his future is the most stable. It is difficult to see him going much higher or lower than the 40th pick. He has performed well at the combine, has an NBA frame and does a little bit of everything. A key for him in the league will be learning to maximize his production off of the ball, as he most likely will not be the guy teams run their offense through.
He could fight for an NBA roster spot right away on some teams, and with his ability to pass, score and defend, he could even blossom into a player that sees significant minutes.
