Cyclones Rebuild Without Momcilovic

Iowa State Cyclones face major roster upheaval heading into 2026-27, losing key players like Milan Momcilovic—who shocked everyone by entering the transfer portal after declaring for the NBA draft—and others who exhausted eligibility. Despite dropping to No. 19 in preseason rankings from last year’s No. 8, the team remains a force with Coach T.J. Otzelberger’s proven rebuilding skills. Four key returnees—Toure, Batemon, Buchanan, and Pleta—are expected to lead the charge in their sophomore seasons, while five new transfers—Johnson, Prather Jr., Bond, Singleton, and Manning—bring fresh firepower. Bond steps in for Heise, Singleton for Jefferson, and Manning adds interior toughness. Even without the same star power, this Cyclones squad is poised to stay competitive and shouldn’t be underestimated. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/0ab11fb0b0457e27