Kentucky Basketball received major offseason news when Malachi Moreno officially announced his return to Lexington on Sunday, giving Mark Pope and his staff one less NBA Draft decision to monitor.
Moreno had recently started appearing in several mock drafts as a late first-round or early second-round projection after receiving strong feedback during the pre-draft process.
Now, Kentucky fans will turn their attention toward Iowa State transfer forward Milan Momcilovic, along with Wildcats Jayden Quaintance and Otega Oweh.
Jayden Quaintance
ESPN — Jeremy Woo
No. 20 overall to the San Antonio Spurs
Yahoo! Sports — Kevin O’Connor
No. 24 overall to the New York Knicks
Bleacher Report — Jonathan Wasserman
No. 15 overall to the Chicago Bulls
CBS Sports — Adam Finkelstein
No. 15 overall to the Chicago Bulls
CBS Sports — Isaac Trotter
No. 14 overall to the Charlotte Hornets
Despite playing only four games at Kentucky because of lingering recovery from a previous ACL injury, Quaintance continues to receive strong first-round projections because of his elite defensive upside and physical tools.
Woo called Quaintance “one of the biggest wild-card picks in this class” while noting teams are still monitoring the health of his knee. However, NBA teams remain intrigued by his 7-foot-5¼ wingspan, defensive instincts, mobility, and long-term upside.
O’Connor highlighted Quaintance’s ability to block shots and move fluidly at his size, while Wasserman noted that his draft range could vary greatly because of the uncertainty surrounding his health and development.
Finkelstein added that Quaintance “checks those boxes better than anyone left on the board” when discussing his size, athleticism, and defensive impact.
Milan Momcilovic
ESPN — Jeremy Woo
No. 38 overall to the Chicago Bulls
Yahoo! Sports — Kevin O’Connor
No. 43 overall to the Brooklyn Nets
Bleacher Report — Jonathan Wasserman
No. 40 overall to the Boston Celtics
One of Kentucky’s top remaining transfer portal targets, Milan Momcilovic continues to draw steady NBA Draft attention while testing the waters.
Momcilovic is widely viewed as one of the best shooters currently available in the draft after shooting nearly 49% from three-point range last season at Iowa State.
O’Connor praised Momcilovic’s elite shooting ability while noting concerns about his athleticism, rebounding, and shot creation. Wasserman added that teams will likely view Momcilovic as a valuable specialist because of his ability to consistently space the floor at 6-foot-8.
Should Momcilovic ultimately withdraw from the draft, Kentucky is expected to remain heavily involved in his recruitment.
Otega Oweh
Yahoo! Sports — Kevin O’Connor
No. 53 overall to the Houston Rockets
Bleacher Report — Jonathan Wasserman
No. 49 overall to the Denver Nuggets
ESPN — Jeremy Woo
Undrafted
Kentucky guard Otega Oweh continues appearing primarily as a second-round projection after his two seasons in Lexington.
O’Connor highlighted Oweh’s 35-point performance against Santa Clara in the NCAA Tournament while praising his slashing ability, physical frame, connective passing, and defensive versatility.
Wasserman noted that Oweh’s expanded offensive role at Kentucky helped revive his NBA Draft stock late in the season. Although evaluators still question whether he possesses a true specialty skill offensively, his versatility and athleticism continue to make him an intriguing developmental prospect.
With Moreno officially returning, Kentucky fans now wait to see if Momcilovic will remain in the draft or ultimately head back to college basketball before the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline on Wednesday at 11:59 P.M. ET.
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