Tag: Malachi Moreno

Former UNC target attempting to recruit Jasper Johnson in final days

UK-commit Malachi Moreno attempted to sweet-talk Jasper Johnson into joining the blue-blood rival.

Over the past couple of weeks, UNC basketball has lost several four or five-star recruits to blue-blood rivals. One of those lost recruits was Malachi Moreno, one of the top center recruits in the class.

His hometown of Kentucky and their new coach were able to lure him in and away from North Carolina. What seemed like just days after that announcement, fellow star, Jasper Johnson, announced that his decision would come down next week.

The 6-foot-4, five-star guard has been dominant in high school, and it has shown from analysts’ views of him. 247sports Adam Finkelstein had this to say about the scoring ability of the Overtime Elite guard.

He has a super soft natural touch and is very crafty around the lane with a deep bag of runners, floaters, and other types of finishes, in addition to the jumpers and step-backs he’s capable of making from the perimeter.

While he is playing ball in Georgia right now, Johnson’s hometown is in Versailles, Kentucky. On top of that, Moreno has outspokenly tried to recruit Johnson to the Wildcats himself.

The cards might be stacked against UNC basketball, but we will see next week where the five-star wants to take his talents.

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Kentucky basketball lands No. 2 center in 2025 recruiting class

Kentucky Wildcats coach Mark Pope made a splash in the 2025 recruiting class, securing a commitment from four-star center Malachi Moreno.

Mark Pope landed his first future recruit as the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, securing a commitment from 2025 center Malachi Moreno on Friday morning.

Moreno is a 7’0 center from Georgetown, KY, about fifteen minutes down the road from Lexington. A four-star prospect who is ranked No. 25 in the 2025 class at 247Sports, Moreno chose the hometown Wildcats over seven other finalists: Arkansas, Indiana, Louisville, Iowa, Ohio State, North Carolina, and Notre Dame.

“It being a dream school of mine since I was a wee little fella’,” Moreno said of why he picked Kentucky. “Just the coaching staff, the play-style and the place of Kentucky, it felt right.”

Moreno is very skilled for his size, with a 7’1 wingspan and above average coordination, balance, and footwork for a player at his age and size. He continues to develop physically as an athlete, and is projected to be an impactful, versatile offensive player at the college level – especially if the outside shooting continues to develop.

Moreno is the highest rated recruit Pope has brought in during his few months as the head coach at Kentucky, joining 2024 recruits Trent Noah and Travis Perry who are both from the state as well.

Kentucky gets a commitment from 4-star center, spurs Notre Dame and others

The Irish miss out on one of the nation’s best 2025 centers

While Notre Dame basketball was a finalist for Kentucky center [autotag]Malachi Moreno[/autotag], it would have been a shock if he left the state.

That’s exactly what happened on Friday morning, as the 6-foot, 11-inch and 230-pound prospect committed to the Wildcats. Moreno had eight different hats on the table for his announcement, as the Irish were one of many teams that were unable to grab his verbal.

This has been the trend recently for Notre Dame basketball, as they continually have been placing inside players final groups, only to see them commit elsewhere.

At some point this trend will stop, but it’s hard to say when that will be.

The Irish have reported offers out to two other centers in the 2025 class, so there is still hope for one to end up in South Bend this cycle.

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Four-star center Malachi Moreno officially commits to Kentucky

Consensus four-star center Malachi Moreno officially committed to Kentucky late Friday morning.

Highly coveted Georgetown (Ky.) center and consensus four-star recruit Malachi Moreno made his much-anticipated commitment Friday morning.

In a live stream hosted by 247Sports, the 6-foot-11, 230-pound center from Great Crossing High School committed to Kentucky and Mark Pope, signaling the first major recruiting win for Pope in his short time as Wildcats head coach.

Moreno made his announcement at a table in the gymnasium at Great Crossing sitting between his mother and father and joined by other members of his family.

Great Crossing’s Malachi Moreno (24) shoots against Newport at the 2023 Chad Gardner Law King of the Bluegrass holiday basketball tournament at Fairdale High School. Dec. 21, 2023. Photo: USA TODAY Sports.

In addition to Kentucky, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Louisville, North Carolina, Notre Dame and Ohio State were in Moreno’s final top eight schools. Moreno had been trending toward Kentucky with 247Sports having five Crystal Ball projections for the Wildcats to land Moreno.

On3 lists Moreno as the No. 25 overall recruit in the nation and the No. 1 center in the class of 2025. 247Sports ranks Moreno the No. 25 overall recruit and the nation’s No. 3 center.

A priority Kentucky basketball recruiting target is set to make a decision

Kentucky basketball recruiting target Malachi Moreno will make a decision on Friday.

Mark Pope has prioritized 2025 recruit Malachi Moreno since he arrived in Lexington. Now, fans will see if all that work paid off, as Moreno is set to announce his decision on Friday.

A 6’11, 230 lb center, Moreno is a top 25 recruit in the 2025 class as ranked by 247sports. They have him as the third best player at his position, and the top player in Kentucky.

Related: Kentucky predicted to land Malachi Moreno

On3’s Joe Tipton reports that Moreno is set to make his decision, perhaps earlier than some thought. He had scheduled an official visit to Kentucky in the Fall, and it was assumed that a decision would come after that.

Moreno’s announcement will come on Friday, at 11:00 AM ET from the Great Crossing gym. He’ll choose between the Wildcats, North Carolina, Arkansas, Notre Dame, Louisville, Ohio State, and others. Kentucky fans would love to see him become Mark Pope’s first commitment as the head coach of the Wildcats.

4-star center will have Notre Dame’s hat on the table during Friday commitment

Will the Irish finally land its first 2025 commitment on Friday?

The search still continues for Notre Dame basketball and its first 2025 commitment.

It may end on Friday, as Kentucky center [autotag]Malachi Moreno[/autotag] will make his commitment. The 6-foot, 11-inch and 230-pound star will choose from eight different schools: Indiana, Louisville, Ohio State, Iowa, Kentucky, North Carolina, Arkansas and the Irish.

The favorite has to be his hometown Wildcats, but what’s interesting about the timing of Moreno’s commitment is that he has scheduled official visits starting in September. Unfortunately, one of those isn’t to South Bend, so it’s hard to believe that the drought will end on Friday, but stranger things have happened in recruiting.

Moreno is the No. 26 overall prospect and 2nd ranked center according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

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Kentucky trending as leader for UNC Basketball recruiting target

Five-star center, Malachi Moreno, was dubbed with new crystal ball predictions on 247sports.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are watching another four-star recruit that they were “warm” with on 247sports fall out of their grasp. Great Crossing’s Malachi Moreno is the No. 26 ranked player on their composite rankings.

He also is the No. 2 ranked center in the Class of 2025 and the best player coming out of Indiana in the class native to Georgetown, Indiana.

Currently, North Carolina has just four-star James Brown on the roster heading into that season at the center position and no committed center recruits in the class.

Moreno is set to “warm” with seven other programs on 247sports, but there is only one other blue blood on the list. Kentucky is currently the school selected by the crystal ball with a 100% chance of landing Moreno in the coming months.

Moreno is set to visit with all six of the eight “warm” programs in the next two months. He will be in Chapel Hill on September 13th and round out his tour visits with Kentucky on October 11th.

The crystal ball is not a hard commitment so there is still an opportunity for UNC to come back with a great visit. The Tar Heels could use a rim-protecting center like Moreno.

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Kentucky gets another prediction to land a top 25 2025 recruit

Malachi Moreno receives a prediction from 247sports to pick Kentucky basketball.

In July, On3 predicted that Kentucky basketball would land 2025 recruit Malachi Moreno. Now, 247sports recruiting analyst Travis Branham has made the same prediction.

The 6’11”, 230 lb Moreno is one of the top centers in the 2025 class. He’s ranked as the number three player at his position, and 25th overall by 247sports. They have him as the top player from the state of Kentucky.

Related: 2025 center Chris Cenac puts Kentucky in final 12

Coach Mark Pope has made keeping in-state talent in Kentucky a priority, and has heavily recruited Moreno. He’ll be paying a visit to Pope and the Wildcats this fall, coming in for Big Blue Madness. Fans would love to see him locked in after that.

Pope’s 2025 class will be his first true recruiting class at Kentucky, and expectations are high. Moreno would be a tremendous addition the roster, and would be a great start to the class for Pope and his staff. Big Blue Nation will be watching this closely.

Kentucky basketball gets a prediction to land a top 25 recruit

On3’s Joe Tipton predicts that in-state 2025 recruit Malachi Moreno will choose Kentucky.

Kentucky basketball fans are eager to see if new coach Mark Pope can land the type of recruiting classes they’re used to, starting with the 2025 group. They haven’t landed any commitments yet, but they have received a prediction to land top 25 player Malachi Moreno.

Moreno is a seven-footer, and an in-state recruit that Pope has prioritized in this recruiting cycle. On3’s Joe Tipton has made a prediction that Pope and the Wildcats would land Moreno as their first commitment of 2025.

Related: Darryn Peterson puts Kentucky in his final eight

On3 has Moreno ranked higher than the other major recruiting services at 16th overall. He’s generally considered at top 25 player, however, and the top center in the class as well.

Moreno is set to visit Kentucky during March Madness this year, so will likely be a few months before he makes a decision. There’s no question that he is a talented player who would be a great addition to the roster. Fans will wait and see if Tipton’s prediction comes true.

Recruit Malachi Moreno is set to visit Kentucky basketball this fall

Malachi Moreno will visit Kentucky basketball during March Madness.

Not long ago, 2025 recruit Malachi Moreno put Kentucky basketball into his final eight schools. The in-state player is a priority player for coach Mark Pope and his staff, and they’ve officially set up a visit with him in the fall.

Moreno is a 6’11”, 230 lb center from Georgetown, Kentucky. He’s ranked as the 25th best overall prospect in the 2025 class by 247sports, and he is rated four stars. They also have him as the number three center in the class.

Related: Jasper Johnson could make a decision soon

Moreno has unofficially visited Kentucky a few times already, but Pope has now set up an official visit, and it will happen the weekend of Big Blue Madness, per a report from Kentucky Sports Radio. That should take place sometime in the middle of October, and will be a good time for a visit.

Meanwhile, Kentucky is certainly putting the full court press on in trying to land Moreno. Teams like Ohio State, Arkansas and North Carolina, among others, are working hard as well, so it won’t be easy. However, getting him would be a huge deal, and a great start on the 2025 class.