Center Malachi Moreno is one of several players being recruited by Kentucky basketball both before and after the coaching change. The in-state product unofficially visited Lexington in February, but Mark Pope wasn’t the coach then.
As the new coaching staff began work on the 2025 class, they prioritized recruits from within Kentucky. They landed the top two in the 2024 class, and would love to lock down Moreno, who is the top in-state player next year.
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Moreno is a top 30 player according to 247sports. He’s 6’11, 210 lbs and is the third best center in his class. He has offers from a lot of the top programs, including Kentucky’s in-state rival, Louisville.
This summer, Moreno is planning to take some visits to schools he’s considering. Kentucky is on that list. Pope will work hard on keeping the talented center in the state, and add an elite player to his first recruiting class at the same time.