Kentucky Basketball fans have plenty of reasons to be excited about the addition of Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic, and the numbers show why.
According to Basketball Reference (via Kyle Tucker), Momcilovic is the only Division I player since the introduction of the 3-point line to make at least 130 3-pointers while shooting 48% or better from beyond the arc in a single season. Last year, the 6-foot-8 forward averaged 16.9 points per game while shooting 50.6% from the field and an incredible
48.7% from 3-point range.
Momcilovic knocked down 136 3-pointers while averaging 3.7 made 3s per game on 7.5 attempts per contest. His 136 made 3s led the nation and already surpassed Kentucky’s single-season record of 117 set by Jodie Meeks during the 2008-09 season.
Only four Wildcats have ever reached the 100-made 3-pointer mark in a season:
- Jodie Meeks – 117
- Jamal Murray – 113
- Malik Monk – 104
- Travis Ford – 101
Momcilovic’s 136 made 3s would easily rank first in Kentucky history. He also attempted 279 3-pointers last season, a total that would rank third in school history behind only Derrick Miller’s 289 attempts in 1989-90 and Jodie Meeks’ 288 in 2008-09.
With Mark Pope’s offensive system emphasizing 3-point shooting, Momcilovic could have an opportunity to challenge multiple school records during his first season in Lexington. Pope does want to eventually average 30 3-point attempts, and if it were to happen this year, it could create even more opportunities for one of the nation’s most dangerous shooters.
If Momcilovic can replicate last year’s production, he won’t just be one of the SEC’s top shooters, but he could end up putting together one of the greatest shooting seasons in Kentucky basketball history.
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