Before even stepping on the court in a college game, freshman Malachi Moreno has already tasted success at Rupp Arena. The 6-foot-11 center from Great Crossing High School ended his stellar senior season by leading his team to a state championship victory over Bowling Green, where he tallied 24 points and 15 rebounds in front of more than 12,000 fans. The performance earned him MVP honors and capped off a dominant year in which he averaged 21.8 points and 14.9 rebounds per game. He was later named 2025 Kentucky Mr. Basketball and committed to the University of Kentucky and new head coach Mark Pope last August.
Now enrolled at UK, Moreno isn’t dwelling on past accomplishments. His focus has shifted to helping the Wildcats chase their ninth national title. “That was a great moment,” he said of winning the state title, “but now I’m all about trying to bring home banner No. 9.”
Being a Georgetown native, Moreno grew up a devoted Wildcats fan. He fondly recalls moments like Brandon Knight’s buzzer-beater against Ohio State in 2011, Aaron Harrison’s clutch three-pointers during the 2014 NCAA run, and anything involving John Wall. As a kid, he even related to Anthony Davis—not for his basketball prowess at the time, but for sharing Davis’ signature unibrow.
Joining Kentucky’s program carries a personal meaning for Moreno. “My parents always taught me to be proud of where I’m from,” he said. “Being from Kentucky and now wearing that jersey, it’s an honor.”
Moreno is one of four Kentucky natives on this year’s roster and has taken it upon himself to help out-of-state players understand what it means to play for UK. “There’s a high standard here. Everyone wants to beat us, and we’ve always got a target on our back,” he said.
Though Moreno towered over most of his high school competition, adjusting to college-level opponents has been a learning curve. “Now I’m going up against guys my size or bigger—some of them 22, 23 years old—and they’ve got that grown-man strength,” he explained. His practice battles against fellow bigs, especially 7-1 Reece Potter, have helped him prepare for the SEC’s physical style of play.
Shooting has been another area of focus for Moreno. In high school, he made just 24% of his three-point attempts and 64% from the free-throw line. He acknowledged that he’s been refining his jump shot, working toward more consistency outside the paint. “It’s still developing, but I’m improving,” he said.
Moreno credited junior forward Brandon Garrison as a key mentor. Garrison, who previously learned under former UK star Amari Williams, has been instrumental in helping Moreno pick up offensive concepts and improve daily. “He’s been a great teammate and leader,” Moreno said.
Coach Mark Pope, a former center for UK’s 1996 national championship team and an NBA veteran, has also taken a hands-on role in developing Moreno and the other frontcourt players. “Coach Pope has been great at helping me with post moves and teaching me how to use my physicality,” Moreno said. “He’s been there and done it, so I’m trying to soak up everything he teaches.”
Although Moreno only made it to training camp with the U.S. U19 team due to a minor hip injury, that short experience with Coach Pope reaffirmed his belief that he’s in the right place. “He’s a coach you want to play for,” Moreno said. “He teaches so much, and I’m here to learn.”
Pope, for his part, sees big potential in the freshman. “Malachi is going to be a lot of fun. He’s young, he’s talented, but still has a lot to learn,” the coach said recently. Moreno echoed that sentiment, acknowledging there will be highs and lows during his freshman campaign. “Some days I’m going to look like I belong in the NBA, and other days I might look lost. But it’s all part of growing,” he admitted.
As preseason workouts continue, Moreno has been impressed by the chemistry within the squad. “We’ve only been together a short while, but it already feels like we’ve made big strides,” he said. “Honestly, we’ve got a deep roster—12, 13, even 15 guys who could start.”
Still, for Moreno, the most emotional moment may come when he finally slips on his Kentucky jersey for real. “Seeing my name and the number 24 on a UK jersey—that’s going to be a dream come true,” he said.
