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Milan Momcilovic steals the show and makes history in Kentucky Basketball debut
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- Milan Momcilovic steals the show and makes history in Kentucky Basketball debut
Coming into this season, even Milan Momcilovic's biggest believers knew he'd face tremendous pressure to live up to his hefty contract. Compensation aside, performing at a high level at a program like Kentucky Basketball has its own unique challenges without any added friction points.
So, it was fair to watch closely and maybe even form a quick opinion on how Momcilovic looked early in his Wildcat career.
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So far, the Iowa State transfer has done nothing but meet those lofty expectations head-on. After his stellar performance in UK's dominant season-opening win Tuesday night, it's fair to say he's moved into the "exceeds expectations" column, and he shows no signs of slowing down.
It isn't just the stats that impress, though they certainly did tonight. It's the smooth way in which Momcilovic operates. He stays steady and composed no matter the circumstance, and that was on display again Tuesday night as he scorched the Manhattan defense from all over the floor. His offense can be so effective with minimal dribbling, translating to gorgeous hoop actions.
Momcilovic would finish the game with 24 points and five rebounds. But it was his 6/9 performance from behind the arc that left fans drooling and fantasizing about what could be in Mark Pope's third season.
Those six triples were actually tied for the most a Kentucky player has ever made in his debut. Antonio Reeves also hit six from deep in a 2023 win over Howard.
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There's also an unquantifiable metric when it comes to how Milan Momcilovic's talents open things up for his teammates through his own facilitation, or forcing the defense to pay so much attention to him that others find themselves open. This is something that Pope and his staff are sure to tinker with throughout the year.
In just 28 minutes of total play, Milan Momcilovic gave college basketball a quick reminder that he's the best shooter in the sport, and that's not changing this season with an address change to Lexington.
