Louisville basketball has had a dominant offseason so far in 2026, and Pat Kelsey and his staff aren’t done yet. The Cardinals are making a push for the 5-star transfer Milan Momcilovic, as it appears Louisville is in a heated recruiting battle with its in-state rival, the Kentucky Wildcats.
Louisville’s projected lineup if it lands Milan Momcilovic would put Cards in NCAA Title hunt
Momcilovic is the top available transfer in the portal, as the Iowa State transfer recently withdrew from the NBA Draft. Now, the 5-star transfer is ranked No. 2 overall in the portal, and Louisville and Kentucky have been battling throughout the process.
It was reported early on by Jeff Goodman that the Cardinals and St. John’s were the early frontrunners for the 5-star transfer, but after St. John's landed Tounde Yessoufou, Rick Pitino and the Red Storm reportedly left the race. Since that moment, it has been back and forth between Louisville and Kentucky, and the Cardinals fans are beginning to think the longer he waits to commit, the more likely he is a Cardinal.
Why Louisville fans should be encouraged by the silence around Milan Momcilovic
Sunday evening, social media erupted with the rumors that the 5-star power forward was leaning towards committing to Louisville. Now, while that was a bunch of smoke and from no reliable source, Louisville fans are beginning to feel more confident the longer Momcilovic waits.
Kentucky was the slight favorite late last week, as Joe Tipton and Norlander both gave the edge to Kentucky. However, the longer the 5-star waits, the more fans think it might be good news for Louisville.
The 5-star transfer has a major impact on both programs, as Goodman made it clear that if Mark Pope whiffs on the elite power forward, he thinks it could be Pope’s final year at Kentucky. And for Louisville, if the Cards can steal him from Kentucky and land the No. 2 overall transfer, that would mean Kelsey landed the top two transfers in the portal and built a real National Title contender.
Right now, Louisville ranks No. 13 overall in ESPN’s way-too-early rankings, and if the Cardinals can get the best 3-point shooter in the nation to join Flory Bidunga in the frontcourt, the Cardinals would emerge as a major threat to Duke for not just the ACC Title but the NCAA Title.
Norlander thought Momcilovic would commit before Monday, but now it appears the 5-star is still uncommitted. So, while Sunday’s online rumors weren’t necessarily true- with Kentucky once the slight favorite late last week- Momcilovic is still uncommitted, and now some are thinking this could be possibly good news for Louisville.
Only time will tell if that is the case. But for right now, Louisville fans are anxiously awaiting the massive decision from the 5-star.
Also read: Louisville and Kentucky insiders cast doubt on recent online Milan Momcilovic rumors
For all the latest news and updates on Louisville basketball's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.
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