**** Official 2026 MBB Spring Transfer Portal Thread ****

[NENick]

He can't hit a mid-range jumper with any kind of consistency and he can't slash and finish at the rim. The Dirk fadeaway is sweet, but it's not something you can go to repeatedly in a game.

Arizona completely shut him down in Tucson. In the Big XII Tourney they didn't do as good a job and he had more open looks. Dybantsa embarrassed him in Provo and Houston seems always able to shut him down as well. He was on the bench late in one of our biggest wins this year vs Houston because he's a defensive liability and Houston was defending him really well.

A guy who might get 4MM in NIL needs to be on the floor in games like that and delivering in crunch time. MM has not been clutch in big games overall. In fact, he's been a complete non-factor in many of them. He simply can't affect the game as much as someone like JJeff or other elite players because his overall game is nowhere near as good.

The SEC is loaded with tall athletic players with length, guys that give MM fits on D. I'm not sure he'd necessarily get more opportunities to score there if he were to go to Fla.

Now, having said all that, I'd love to have him back next year because of his deadly 3pt shooting.

So you're saying there aren't tall athletic guys in the Big12? And you don't seem to remember game-winning shots Milan has hit in big games? And you discount his 28-point performance against the 2nd best team in the country, because "they didn't do as good a job?"

I understand this is a difficult situation for TJ and Milan, and that Milan has strengths and weaknesses in his game, but this is a bit over the top.

 

[Cyhig]

With all these players entering the portal, it is great to see our freshmen core (Toure, Bateman, Pleta) from this past year are staying together. In fact, Otz rarely loses players to the portal if they were part of the regular rotation.

It's a great indicator the players enjoy playing for Otz.

 

[5Cy]

I despise Dan Hurley but I agree with what he said on the DP show the other day.

"Unless it absolutely makes total sense for you to go and you know you're a lottery pick guaranteed to go top 15-18, the biggest mistake you can make right now as a college basketball player is going to the draft too early"

I love Milan, but right now he’s not top 18 in the draft. If we can give him $2 mil next year he’ll likely walk out of ISU with $5 Mil + in the bank after his 4 years here. Which is just slightly better than the $30K debt I walked away with.

If TJ is able to bring in some of the guys he’s targeting in the portal, we won’t be too far off where we were last year. Milan could likely build up his draft stock with a solid performance next year and be the main man on the team.

 

[cycloneworld]

It all is how you want to allocate resources in this new era. He isn’t consistent enough for what he’s getting, so they are looking to add different pieces to their roster that might be more consistent

Guess I hadn’t thought of Iowa pushing him to the portal. Maybe they told him they aren’t paying him what they paid this year so he’s leaving?

 

[Letterkenny]

Surprising given the rumored paycheck Iowa was giving him.

I'd guess they wanted him to take a reduction for next year. At least they should. He's solid, but not worth the rumored $2M he got.

 

[Letterkenny]

So you're saying there aren't tall athletic guys in the Big12? And you don't seem to remember game-winning shots Milan has hit in big games? And you discount his 28-point performance against the 2nd best team in the country, because "they didn't do as good a job?"

I understand this is a difficult situation for TJ and Milan, and that Milan has strengths and weaknesses in his game, but this is a bit over the top.

Some fans watched us play Tennessee and assume every single SEC team is built exactly like them.

 

[NENick]

Guess I hadn’t thought of Iowa pushing him to the portal. Maybe they told him they aren’t paying him what they paid this year so he’s leaving?

Every player is a free agent and every coach has to be a GM. Decide who's worth how much, while the player (and their agent, family, whatever) decides if it's enough.

 

[Shawker]

Iowa fans butthurt

Not even remotely. He was worth every penny just for his performances against Florida and Nebraska, but he's getting big time offers out East based on those performances and Iowa opted not to match.

 

[daniel22]

Guess I hadn’t thought of Iowa pushing him to the portal. Maybe they told him they aren’t paying him what they paid this year so he’s leaving?

Kakert said he liked Iowa, but might not be able to pay him what he got last year, so he opened up his recruiting. That makes sense since you have a supposed budget and need to figure out the best way of upgrading your team with those resources

 

[cycloneworld]

Not even remotely. He was worth every penny just for his performances against Florida and Nebraska, but he's getting big time offers out East based on those performances and Iowa opted not to match.

Thanks for the insight. Was surprising to hear based on how much you’ve invested in him but makes sense.

That Florida shot probably made him A LOT of money even though he seemed disappointing overall based on his comp.

Haven’t been following Iowa’s portal - how’s it been going?

 

[Shawker]

Thanks for the insight. Was surprising to hear based on how much you’ve invested in him but makes sense.

That Florida shot probably made him A LOT of money even though he seemed disappointing overall based on his comp.

Haven’t been following Iowa’s portal - how’s it been going?

Very quiet so far. It sounds like they're trying to get a guard from Wazzu on campus. I know they're also hunting a big but those are very pricey in the portal.

 

[Frak]

I despise Dan Hurley but I agree with what he said on the DP show the other day.

"Unless it absolutely makes total sense for you to go and you know you're a lottery pick guaranteed to go top 15-18, the biggest mistake you can make right now as a college basketball player is going to the draft too early"

I love Milan, but right now he’s not top 18 in the draft. If we can give him $2 mil next year he’ll likely walk out of ISU with $5 Mil + in the bank after his 4 years here. Which is just slightly better than the $30K debt I walked away with.

If TJ is able to bring in some of the guys he’s targeting in the portal, we won’t be too far off where we were last year. Milan could likely build up his draft stock with a solid performance next year and be the main man on the team.

I feel like Milan has already gotten draft feedback. I think that it's more between ISU and a bigger bag than it is ISU vs the NBA. It's a historically bad year to enter the draft.

 

[daniel22]

Very quiet so far. It sounds like they're trying to get a guard from Wazzu on campus. I know they're also hunting a big but those are very pricey in the portal.

I know this is an ISU Board, but we are basketball fans and its portal talk. They are interested in a guard from UNC Liberty Butler WSU and bigs from Charlotte Louisville and St Mary’s. Mentioned Isiah Johnson from Colorado, but who knows

 

[CloneLawman]

I'm curious what Otz thinks is a prototypical fan.

Good question. Im certain he would be intense about it!!

 

[Drew0311]

My wants out of the visitors this weekend

I want the Northwestern kid first. I think he brings something that we really need
I want the Bradley kid next up. We need more seasoned guards.


I think the rest can add to our team but those first two I think are our biggest needs.

 

[iseedit]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe we're contractually obligated to sign Johnson to maintain our run of having two president names on the roster.

TJ will sign him just because he agrees with the size of uniform he wears.... extra small smedium

 

[Cyclonepride]

My wants out of the visitors this weekend

I want the Northwestern kid first. I think he brings something that we really need
I want the Bradley kid next up. We need more seasoned guards.


I think the rest can add to our team but those first two I think are our biggest needs.

I would add Prather OR Bond to that. That group would fill our biggest needs. If we can get them, any additional piece would be for depth IMO.

 

[Drew0311]

I would add Prather OR Bond to that. That group would fill our biggest needs. If we can get them, any additional piece would be for depth IMO.

I agree. However, I don't think Prather adds anything that our two incomming freshman bigs can't provide. Maybe he is a good leader though. So I am down to take four of them and if one or two don't get playing time, no biggie.

 

[Texbudman]

The bucket getter will be that Johnson kid. He shot 5 more free throws this year than Jefferson did. Twice as many as Tamin did. He's one of those little guards that pisses you off cause you can't figure out how someone that size scores so much. But when he goes 10 for 10 at the line you're like, oh, that's how he scored 20pts tonight.

But can he guard anyone? Honest question, I’ve never seen him play

 

[clone52]

I felt it was really accurate. He is not a main guy as he can't create his own shot. If hes the main guy, each team face guards him and hes done. I think he won't have a better year next year(could but unlikely) and goes to the nba this year.

I will say, the lack of foul calls when he was face guarded last year was criminal. Constantly grabbed, hugged and impeded. It was really, really pathetic officiating.