Kentucky coach Mark Pope secured a top talent — and in-state standout — on Friday when Malachi Moreno, a four-star center in the 2025 class, announced his commitment to the Wildcats.
Moreno, a Georgetown, Kentucky, native and the No. 36 recruit in his class per ESPN, is the first commitment in the 2025 class for the new Kentucky head coach, who left BYU to replace John Calipari in April.
A skilled 7-footer, Moreno is one of the few true centers in the class, as more big men covet the “positionless” label. But he is not the only target for Pope.
Five-star prospect Jasper Johnson, a 6-4 guard from Lexington, is atop that list, which also includes Tounde Yessoufou, Chris Cenac Jr. and Braylon Mullins, who plays with Moreno on Indiana Elite.
Moreno is best known for his scoring on both blocks with his back to the basket, and for blocking shots. The timing on his blocks is impressive; he instinctively waits until the offensive player releases the ball. He is dedicated to rebounding, and he does a good job of rebounding the ball high and keeping it high for putbacks. He also possesses passing vision facing the basket, so he can operate on the perimeter as a high-low passer, as a screener and in dribble-handoffs. He also shows plenty of basketball IQ to execute in the half court as he is well-versed in slipping screens. As he develops a strong foundation of functional strength, he will play with a lower base and not get moved around so easily. There is still room from improvement with his shooting, but he has touch.
Moreno made the announcement at Great Crossing High School in Georgetown in front of a packed crowd.
“There will be 1,800 students in our gym for this announcement,” Moreno told ESPN. “It’s exciting.”
Pope, a former center who helped Kentucky win the 1996 national title before he spent a decade in the NBA, is known for a style that still incorporates big men as critical players on offense. That reality impacted Moreno’s decision.
“I chose Kentucky because of Coach Pope’s playing style,” Moreno said. “He likes to play through their big men and allows them to pass. That’s a big part of my game. Since the day the new staff got the job, they have been very consistent in recruiting me. Coach Pope won a national title here as player, so he knows what it takes to be great at Kentucky. I received an offer from [Calipari] and had to start over with Coach Pope. I had to earn my scholarship twice.”
Moreno also said Kentucky’s legacy of developing big men, including multiple NBA stars, also influenced his final decision.
“Kentucky’s campus is beautiful,” he said. “There are no better fans. Growing up I dreamed of playing there. I watched their big men. Nerlens Noel, Willie Cauley-Stein, Anthony Davis and Nick Richards. I plan on studying education and being a teacher someday. My teachers have helped me so much over the years. I want to do that for the next generation.”
Jeff Borzello contributed to this report.