Iowa State’s Momcilovic named to Julius Erving Award preseason watch list
Iowa State forward Milan Momcilovic has been named to the Julius Erving Award Preseason Watch List, recognizing the top small forwards in Division I men’s basketball.
Momcilovic is among 20 players nationally on the list, which is presented annually by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He joins point guard Tamin Lipsey as the second Cyclone this week named to a Naismith Starting Five Award watch list after Lipsey earned a spot on the Bob Cousy Award list Monday. Iowa State is one of 16 schools with at least two players featured on the watch lists announced so far this week.
Momcilovic appeared in 28 games last season, starting 27, and averaged 11.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game. The 6-foot-8 forward missed seven games in the middle of Big 12 play with a left-hand injury but returned to finish strong, hitting a 3-pointer in each of the final 13 games. His 63 3-pointers were the third most by a sophomore in school history.
He shot 42.9-percent from the field, 39.6-percent from beyond the arc and 83.7-percent from the free-throw line last season. Momcilovic’s career-high came in the Maui Invitational against Colorado, where he scored 24 points and tied a career best with six 3-pointers.
The Julius Erving Award, named after the Class of 1993 Hall of Famer, is celebrating its 12th year. Fan voting for the 2026 award opens Friday, Oct. 31. The watch list will be narrowed to 10 players in January and five in February, with the winner announced in March alongside the other members of the Men’s Starting Five — the Bob Cousy, Jerry West, Karl Malone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar awards.
Previous winners include Cooper Flagg (Duke, 2025), Dalton Knecht (Tennessee, 2024), and Jalen Wilson (Kansas, 2023).
