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

[SolarGarlic]

Which is also exactly what the podcast said.

Do you pay $3.5M to a guy who really doesn’t fit your system.

Great ball player, borderline cyclone legend, etc. But he’s not a prototypical otz ball player.

What exactly is our system? Lol. Our offense was based on Milan running around screens the entire possession. You guys are nuts. When we're in the middle of February, and we're complaining about not having guys who can score next year, we need to remember this conversation. Milan is a gifted shooter and scorer who changes every game he's in. This is a potential All American player we're talking about.

 

[clone52]

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.

And next year sounds like a historically weak NBA draft, so I think it'd make a ton of sense to come back. That is unless a team promised him something.

For example, lets say Denver Nuggets love him and say the would draft him at #26. He'd make $2.5M next year and $2.5M gaurenteed in his second year, and probably $2.6 million in year 3. Sure he could make more in college next year and maybe get drafted higher, but there is no gaurentee of that. He'd have reached his goal of making the NBA with plenty of gaurenteed money.

How about the Thunder, who have a ridiculous amount of draft picks over the next few years and probably the best team currently in the NBA. Also way over the salary cap and paying a lot of luxury tax money. Would they promise to take Milan at #16 overall and use him to make an defense for offensive swap and decline Dort's club option. They still have plenty of great defenders at SG, so what better than the best 3pt shooter in college basketball history.

 

[Cyclonepride]

What irritates me is that freedom of movement was a focal point like 5 years ago and then this face guarding and grabbing sh!t was allowed. I don't get it.

Yeah, I am 100% fine when there's contact with the chest, but especially in the NCAA tournament, there were very active arms and hands that weren't getting called (including on offense, where guys were pushing off after they screened to get a jump down low).

 

[SolarGarlic]

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.

Do you think every team wasn't focused on shutting him down? It's not like Lipsey was a focus. The whole offense was built on Jefferson and Momcilovic. I can't believe I'm seeing people act like he was a third option. He's the best shooter in the country.

 

[clone52]

Another thought on Milan. It was rumored that Hy-Vee was giving him a big NIL deal. Maybe $1.5M from ISU and $1.5M from Hy-Vee. Maybe its possible that Hy-Vee keeps that deal but TJ says if he decides, late, ISU can only offer $500K.

 

[clone52]

Do you think every team wasn't focused on shutting him down? It's not like Lipsey was a focus. The whole offense was built on Jefferson and Momcilovic. I can't believe I'm seeing people act like he was a third option. He's the best shooter in the country.

Yeah, from January on, every team's #1 defensive priority was shutting down Milan, even over shutting down Jefferson.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

It's strange seeing the transfer portal becoming as large if not larger than recruiting high school kids. The best way today to win seems to be bring in a large number of older players out of the portal to fit a specific need on your team and add a few high school players you hope to develop. Look at all the final four teams and they were all older teams with lots of transfers.

 

[David Freshman1982]

Yeah, from January on, every team's #1 defensive priority was shutting down Milan, even over shutting down Jefferson.

If Milan comes back, TJ needs to start his PR campaign right now with the B12 refs regarding the outright mugging Milan suffered in every game the last half of the season. Dude was getting mauled but never getting fouls called. He should have been shooting 10 free throws a game.

 

[cyclonespiker33]

Another thought on Milan. It was rumored that Hy-Vee was giving him a big NIL deal. Maybe $1.5M from ISU and $1.5M from Hy-Vee. Maybe its possible that Hy-Vee keeps that deal but TJ says if he decides, late, ISU can only offer $500K.

I missed that Hy-Vee rumor. I do remember Blum mentioning that local businesses were starting to figure it out.

 

[isucy86]

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 get that perception. But if Momcilovic comes back, I expect a couple things:

1. He's bigger, stronger.
2. He's spent A LOT of time working on his drive/mid-range game.

Momcilovic has primarily been a spot up shooter. But I saw a lot of growth from Nov to Feb in shot-fake drive to bucket part of his offense. Just needs to get comfortable shooting in traffic.

 

[sj4]

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.

Yup. They have more rights and privileges than NBA and NFL players as, for one, they become a free agent after every season. Which makes me wonder how the NBA and the NFL are getting away with it. It seems to be a double standard. Not a legal expert, but it seems that at any point in time the courts dictate what the situation should be. So if the current situation in college athletics is what the courts have said that this is what it should then that's why is it so different than an NFL/NBA model as it pertains to players rights. If a player can put himself out every single year to the highest bidder why can't NFL/NBA players do that? I think the answer might be that because all these issues for the pro leagues have been litigated over the years and what you see there is how things are. But it's an evolving situation for college athletics and just hasn't got there yet. I would hope that the college situation at least morphs into a NFL/NBA model because what's going on now is simply insane and everybody knows it.

 

[exCYtable]

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

He was the MVC Defensive Player of the Year and his nickname is "Bully." Would be a HUGE get offensively and defensively. Perfect for TJs system.

 

[Texbudman]

I think it really might come down to budget, though I think the most reliable route to program consistency is not knowingly having to rely on freshmen by having experienced minutes at every position. If any of the freshmen produce in year one, that's a huge bonus.

I think we HAVE to have freshmen produce. Where would we have been without this year’s freshmen?! Get ‘em in and let TJ and the staff coach’em up!

 

[JDHansen99]

Yeah, I am 100% fine when there's contact with the chest, but especially in the NCAA tournament, there were very active arms and hands that weren't getting called (including on offense, where guys were pushing off after they screened to get a jump down low).

Yeah I'm all for letting them play and generally allowing more contact is probably better then being super strict, but if we are going to introduce a "cylinder foul" then there should be no world were teams are able to do what they did to Milan without getting a few fouls per game as a result.

 

[JDHansen99]

He was the MVC Defensive Player of the Year and his nickname is "Bully." Would be a HUGE get offensively and defensively. Perfect for TJs system.

I just really worry about his size. I mean he's not exactly Petty from TTech who is undersized but an elite tough shot maker.

That being said, if he can come in and get 10-12ppg and take care of the ball at a high level... he may be a great fit when you factor in his defense.

 

[SolarGarlic]

I get that perception. But if Momcilovic comes back, I expect a couple things:

1. He's bigger, stronger.
2. He's spent A LOT of time working on his drive/mid-range game.

Momcilovic has primarily been a spot up shooter. But I saw a lot of growth from Nov to Feb in shot-fake drive to bucket part of his offense. Just needs to get comfortable shooting in traffic.

Shot-fake sidestep for 3 is an even more valuable move and he barely missed it for 3 months straight. But I guess some fans don't consider that creating a shot.

I would like to see us give it to him in the post and let him back guys down. He's never going to be a dribble drive guy.

 

[isucy86]

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.

Physical & hands-on defense is part of the current college game.

Not sure TJ is going to lead the charge on teams being physical with Momcilovic, because ISU's defense is physical.

On thing during Michigan's title run that wasn't highlighted by TV folks was how physical their defense was. They were shoulder & hip chucking cutters. And their guards were stiff-arming opponent ball handlers.

 

[Psiclone]

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.

Agree on Singleton but like Prather next due to his size, scoring, and assist/turnover ratio.

 

[isucy86]

Shot-fake sidestep for 3 is an even more valuable move and he barely missed it for 3 months straight. But I guess some fans don't consider that creating a shot.

I would like to see us give it to him in the post and let him back guys down. He's never going to be a dribble drive guy.

For Milan to back guys down, then Pleta & Buchanon are going to need to develop a consistent free-throw area jump shot.

A big reason our half-court offense struggled this past season was Arizona, BYU, Cincy could have their 7' post guy play a one man zone, because they didn't need to fear Buchanon or Pleta shooting in the high post.

 

[demoncore1031]

If we get Johnson and either Bond or Prather, then I wouldn't mind Milan taking his time to make a decision.

Toure, Batemon, Johnson, Wiggins, Bond or Prather would be a good rotation at the 1-3 spots, with Singleton (hopefully), Buchanan, Pleta and Rinaldo-Komlan covering the 4-5 spots. That's a 9 man rotation. Plus we still have Mitchell. Not sure if he will stay or if he would contribute much. We will have Gray as well, but probably too much depth for him to play, assuming we get Johnson.