When coach Mark Pope was hired, the Big Blue Nation was completely surprised. It had been a tumultuous week since we first heard the rumors that coach John Calipari was leaving town for Arkansas. Then there was a public approach to coach Scott Drew and a big offer to two-time defending champion coach Dan Hurley. As captain of the 1996 national championship team, coach Pope’s name had been floating around on some big boards. The timing of his hiring, however, surprised many people. Zero NCAA tournament wins was a headline, but The real concerns revolved around whether he could recruit at the top level with the big teams. Utah Valley and BYU are not exactly the same as Kentucky.
In just two short months, Coach Pope was able to address many of those concerns. He took a completely empty locker room and assembled a 12-man roster that included a series of six commitments in six days. However, He has not just assembled a 12-man roster, but a roster that is close to the top 25 and is expected to be competitive in its first year. The quality of the nine transfer portal entrants coming to Lexington impressed even the harshest critics. Now the tables have turned and the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats is facing a new challenge. What will his first “real” high school recruiting class look like? On Friday we got our first look at the first beginnings of an answer to this question.
Malachi Moreno, a four-star center, announced his commitment to Kentucky shortly before noon on Friday. The announcement took place at Great Crossing High School, less than 20 miles from Rupp Arena. Coach Pope not only secured the highest-rated recruit in the state of Kentucky, but also one of the top 25 prospects in the country. He chose the Cats, beating out teams like Indiana and Ohio State. Arkansas, Iowa, Louisville, North Carolina and Notre Dame were also among the finalists. Moreno is also the best center in the country according to the On3 Industry Rankings. At 7’3″, Moreno is incredibly agile and has impressive skills. He will be the perfect building block for Coach Pope’s first full recruiting class.
Rebounding, basket protection and interesting skills are what first distinguishes Malachi Moreno. its most impressive feature is simply the way it moves despite its size of over 7 feet. The smoothness with which he runs down the field, his ability to make difficult catches on the run, or his passing skills aren’t things that can be taught. Great hands and great feet, coupled with his size, make for a special package. That’s why it was so important for Coach Pope and the Wildcats to sign the coveted in-state recruit. Let’s look at some examples of what makes Moreno such a unique big man.
Malachi Moreno has an impeccable offensive instinct. He understands distances and angles and makes great decisions. With his involvement, you can perform many different shielding actions, even outside the perimeter protection, as he is agile enough to escape the shield and poses a real threat when rolling. Here you can see him setting up the second block on a staggered down screen. The lead defender is chasing while Moreno’s man pops out to help as the ball is thrown in the corner. As soon as Moreno sees his man pop out, he slides to the basket. There he receives the pass and slams it with both hands.
There just aren’t many 7′ players that can do what you see in this clip. Moreno is spaced out from the perimeter as the ball enters the frontcourt and eventually receives a kick-out pass. Having found themselves in an uncomfortable situation, the opposing 5-man team has no chance when Moreno attacks to score. That pivot looks like a 6’2″ wing, not a 7’4″ center. He’s so fluid and agile for his size.
This is where Malachi Moreno is at his best on offense. He slips out of the ball screen as the defense starts to cover hard and finds the weak spot right next to the block. Then, as the defense comes together, he patiently takes one powerful dribble, slides to the other side of the basket and finishes. By keeping his shoulders square to the baseline while power-dribbling and executing the reverse Mikan finish, he showcases his skills and fundamentals as a big man.
We’ve seen what Kentucky’s big signing can do as a blocker, on the run, and as a face-up driver. Now let’s take a look at his passing ability. Moreno’s feel for the game and overall skill make him an effective passer as well. This trait allows him to fit seamlessly into Coach Mark Pope’s offense. Despite being tackled hard on his first dribble, Moreno manages to maintain control and kick the ball to Braylon Mullins for a three-pointer. He maintains his balance under pressure and has the instinct to immediately look the other way, all of which contribute to him being such a highly valued prospect.
Moreno’s inside goal
Malachi Moreno is 2.13 meters tall and moves like a gazelle. But that should not hide the fact that he is also very talented. He has more than just theoretical talent and athletic qualities. Moreno’s footwork inside the box and his ability to finish with both hands make him a real threat to goal inside the box. He also shows the ability to switch to physical play. Like many young big men, Moreno’s physical strength will take his game to new levels. For now, though, his finesse is enough to make him arguably the best big man in the 2025 class.
One great thing about evaluating Malachi Moreno’s film is how well it translates to college. Indiana Elite consistently delivered great action that was all about getting the ball to their big man. Here they push Braylon Mullins off the baseline to get Moreno’s man to play around up front. The defender pushes Moreno back to avoid getting beat over the top, but Moreno’s great hands allow him to intercept the pass anyway. He then goes to work with his back to the basket. With four left-handed crab dribbles he gets to the halfway line, turns back onto his left shoulder and finishes the ball behind the defender. This is a sample version.
Here, too, it is the footwork and agility that stand out. For the 2.13 meter tall player, this is not only a difficult catch, he also has to act in a tight time frame. Many big young players would probably either throw the ball out of bounds or charge into the second defender. However, Moreno catches the ball with both hands, catches it with a powerful dribble, and spins away from the defense toward the center of the court. That right-hand, left-shoulder baby hook shot is money.
If you’re being nitpicky, there are some concerns about Malachi Moreno’s physicality. He’s 7’4″ and 215 pounds, which doesn’t exactly make him a big-hitting prospect. However, clips like this should put some of the doubts about his willingness to hold his own on the block to rest. Here, he’s compared to five-star forward Koa Peat, who plays as physically as anyone in the country. Moreno catches the ball just off the block, dribbles twice toward the halfway line into Peat’s chest, then drop-steps it back onto his left shoulder. Not only is this a perfect fundamental execution, but it is also a physical finish. Moreno’s potential is enormous.
Moreno has great potential in the post and as a roll man, as we’ve seen in several clips so far. For now, however, he still makes his money as a finisher above the basket. He feels most comfortable simply playing from the dunker position and waiting for a guard to make a play for him. Moreno’s excellent hands and explosive power make him particularly effective in this role. He will benefit from plenty of assists at the next level.
Rebounding and rim protection
It’s great that Malachi Moreno is considered an offensive threat with great potential. However, when you recruit a 7’10 player, you expect a certain level of rebounding and basket protection. The four-star center fits those criteria as well. Moreno’s hands make him a great rebounder, as he seems to catch everything he catches on the boards. Then, On defense, in addition to his obvious size and length, he also has excellent timing as a shot blocker. While his offensive contribution determines his peak performance, his peak performance is determined by his abilities as a rebounder and basket protector.
Simply trying to get every rebound is the first step to becoming a great rebounder. Moreno does a great job here of completing his roll to the basket despite Braylon Mullins’ ball screen. This puts him in a position to grab the offensive rebound outside of his area. Then, without dribbling, Moreno steps between two defenders and finishes through traffic. His ability to complete the putback without having to dribble is a special trait.
After intercepting that difficult offensive rebound, Moreno takes advantage of his size by holding the ball well above his head. Many tall young players bring the ball too deep, allowing defenders to clear it. After shooting the ball out, Moreno immediately sets himself up and gets a good position on the block, then finishes with a quick turnaround jump shot. His shooting touch is enough to hit this shot from time to time.
Most big men would foul on this drive. Malachi Moreno does a great job of avoiding a foul with his left hand while simultaneously standing upright to block the shot with his right hand. Great timing and athleticism are shown in this clip.
Here you can see Moreno switching to a guard at the top of the key. He gets beat a bit downhill by opening the gate with his hips, but his size and length are enough to keep up. At the end of the drive Moreno avoids another foul despite the ball handler cutting back to his body. It’s a great block and shows his ability to be switchable on the perimeter on a given possession.
Malachi Moreno Review
True 7′ players with excellent footwork and general agility are not found very often. Even fewer of them play high school basketball 30 minutes from Rupp Arena. Malachi Moreno checks off nearly all the boxes you’d expect from a modern big man. He can run down the court like a gazelle, he has excellent hands and feet coming out of the roll, he’s explosive from the dunker position, and he can defend the basket at a high level. Whether he’s called upon to hard guard a ball screen beyond the arc or run vertically around the basket, his defensive strength is very high. And on offense, some of the things he can do show the potential of a future NBA player. Moreno is an excellent building block in Coach Pope’s first real recruitment and fits seamlessly into his offensive system at the 5.
