Malachi Moreno
| No. 24 – Kentucky Wildcats | |
|---|---|
| Position | Center |
| League | Southeastern Conference |
| Personal information | |
| Born | October 24, 2006 |
| Listed height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) |
| Listed weight | 250 lb (113 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Great Crossing (Georgetown, Kentucky) |
| College | Kentucky (2025–present) |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Malachi Luis Moreno (born October 24, 2006) is an American college basketball player for the Kentucky Wildcats of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). He was a consensus four-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2025 class.
High school career
[edit]Moreno attended Great Crossing High School in Georgetown, Kentucky, where he was a 4-star center. As a freshman at Great Crossing in 2022, he averaged 11.9 points per game to go along with 12 rebounds per game in 34 games played. He improved in his sophomore year, bumping up his points per game to 14.8. As a senior in his final year at Great Crossing, he averaged 21.5 points per game to go along with 14.9 rebounds per game, leading Great Crossing to its first-ever KHSAA title in program history. He was named the KHSAA Sweet 16 MVP.[1] for his efforts.
In January 2025, Moreno was named a McDonald's All-American[2] playing for Team East.
Recruiting
[edit]Moreno was a consensus four-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2025 class, according to major recruiting services.[3][4] On August 16, 2024, he committed to playing college basketball for Kentucky over offers from Indiana, Ohio State, and North Carolina. Coach Mark Pope stated that Moreno is an "elite-level passer with incredible tracking vision," and that "He has a ferocity around the rim in terms of ball protection and he is willing to engage physically."[5]
| Name | Hometown | School | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malachi Moreno C |
Georgetown, KY | Great Crossing (KY) | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) | 230 lb (100 kg) | Aug 16, 2024 | |
Recruit ratings: Rivals:  247Sports: On3: ESPN: (88) | ||||||
| Overall recruit ranking: Rivals: 27 247Sports: 27 On3: 24 ESPN: 26 | ||||||
Sources:
| ||||||
College career
[edit]Moreno joined the University of Kentucky as a member of the Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball program for the 2025–26 season. As a freshman, he appeared in 36 games and became a key contributor in the frontcourt rotation under head coach Mark Pope.
He averaged 7.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 58.2% from the field. His production included multiple double-digit scoring and rebounding performances, highlighted by an 18-point game against Valparaiso and an 11-rebound outing against South Carolina.
Moreno earned All-SEC Freshman Team honors following the season, recognizing his impact as one of the conference's top first-year players.[6] He also recorded a standout all-around performance against Mississippi State on January 10, 2026, with 17 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and four steals in a single game.[7]
At the conclusion of the season, Moreno declared for the 2026 NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility, allowing him the option to return to Kentucky.[6]
Career statistics
[edit]| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
College
[edit]| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025–26 | Kentucky | 36 | 30 | 22.6 | .582 | .000 | .698 | 6.3 | 1.8 | .5 | 1.5 | 7.8 |
Personal life
[edit]Moreno is the son of Sarah and Enelio Moreno. Moreno has an older brother, named Michael, who also played Division I basketball at Eastern Kentucky,[8] where he became the first player in EKU history to score at least 1,500 points and grab 900 total rebounds.
References
[edit]- ↑ Gough, Lyndsey (March 30, 2025). "Great Crossing wins programs first KHSAA boys basketball title". www.wkyt.com.
- ↑ "Malachi Moreno Earns Spot at 2025 McDonald's All American Game". UK Athletics. January 27, 2025.
- ↑ "2025 Industry Top Basketball Center Recruits". www.on3.com.
- ↑ "2025 Top Center Recruits". 247Sports.
- ↑ "Kentucky Native Malachi Moreno Signs Agreement with UK". UK Athletics. November 13, 2024.
- 1 2 "Kentucky center Malachi Moreno will enter NBA Draft process, maintains college eligibility". WYMT. April 7, 2026. Retrieved April 18, 2026.
- ↑ "Malachi Moreno dominates Mississippi State in breakout performance". A Sea of Blue. Retrieved April 18, 2026.
- ↑ "Michael Moreno - Men's Basketball". Eastern Kentucky University Athletics.