Two Players Who Could Be Cashing NBA Checks Chose Kentucky Instead

Big Blue Nation spent the spring doomscrolling the ones who got away — Nikola Kusturica to UCLA, the No. 1 recruit reclassifying and flipping to Texas — and completely missed the two decisions that actually decide next season. Milan Momcilovic shot an NCAA-best 48.7% from three at Iowa State last year, sat in the NBA Combine as one of the best shooters in the building, and chose Lexington over turning pro. Malachi Moreno had first-round buzz from the Knicks, Lakers and Celtics, then pulled his name out of the draft to come back as a sophomore Mark Pope swears will be the best center in America. Last year's 22-14 team couldn't shoot and had nobody who protected the rim like he meant it — and in one offseason Pope imported the best shooter in the country and kept the kid who fixes the other half. Stay mad about last March if you want. But when two guys who could be getting NBA money right now look at this program and say “blue,” that's not a coach on the hot seat — that's a pitch that works.