Iowa State faces an uneven offseason task after Milan Momcilovic’s departure

Iowa State’s summer plans were thrown off when Milan Momcilovic declared for the 2026 NBA Draft and then, after timing complications, entered the transfer portal, effectively closing the chapter of his Iowa State career. The Cyclones, who had been preparing for a specific role around Momcilovic’s blend of size and perimeter scoring, must now rebuild their offensive expectations and lineup balance without the production that helped define the program’s recent run.

Momcilovic’s absence is not a simple “next man up” issue because of how consistently he produced. According to Yahoo Sports, Momcilovic averaged 16.9 points per game for Iowa State and was the team’s scoring leader. That kind of workload influences spacing, shot selection, and how opposing defenses organize themselves, especially for a team that has typically relied on structured roles rather than pure improvisation.

For Iowa State, the first name attached to that transition is rising sophomore guard Jamarion Batemon. The Yahoo Sports breakdown frames Batemon as a plausible candidate to step into a starting spot, even though he is smaller than Momcilovic (listed at 6-foot-3 compared to 6-foot-8). The key parallel is shooting. Batemon, per the report, finished his freshman season knocking down 37% of his 3-point attempts, giving Iowa State a way to keep the perimeter threat active even as the roster’s size and physical profile change.

Batemon’s next test will likely be volume and role expansion. Yahoo Sports projects that his offensive usage could rise, with an emphasis on efficiency improvements that would allow him to operate as a “floor stretcher” rather than just a spot-up option. Defensively, the report suggests Batemon also offers a different kind of versatility than Iowa State had from Momcilovic, which matters in a Big 12 environment where lineups and matchups can shift quickly from possession to possession.

The other prominent replacement pathway runs through the transfer market, where Iowa State brought in Ryan Prather Jr. as part of a group of additions. Yahoo Sports characterizes Prather as an efficient scorer whose output profile may help offset the loss of Momcilovic’s scoring role. In his previous stop at Robert Morris, the report says Prather averaged 15.9 points per game, hit 36.8% of his 3-point attempts, made 2.5 threes per contest, and took 6.9 3-point attempts. If Prather can translate that mix of volume and accuracy, Iowa State’s offense can preserve spacing even while it searches for the most stable rotation around its new core.

Still, the Cyclones’ challenge is not limited to replacing points. It is also about maintaining the team’s chemistry and shot design while new players settle into the defensive principles that coach T.J. Otzelberger emphasizes, and while returning players learn how to share touches in a new hierarchy. Sports Illustrated’s earlier offseason coverage described the situation as a substantial void in the lineup that must be addressed by assembling a coherent group from multiple new faces, underscoring that the “replacement” has to be broader than any single player.

What to watch next is how Iowa State organizes its frontcourt and perimeter responsibilities early in the season. Batemon’s ability to handle a larger offensive load, Prather’s willingness to play within Iowa State’s system rather than only hunt his own shots, and how the staff balances minutes among returning pieces will determine whether Momcilovic’s departure becomes a prolonged drag or a manageable transition. The roster rebuild will unfold quickly once summer preparation turns into exhibition basketball, where roles tend to become clearer within weeks rather than months.