Malachi Moreno 'just keeps getting better' ahead of 'really special' Kentucky career

The year of Malachi Moreno continues, racking up every accolade and nod high school has to offer as he transitions from KHSAA legend to Kentucky freshman. He earned Mr. Basketball honors in his home state while leading Great Crossing to the school’s first Sweet 16 championship, cutting down the nets inside Rupp Arena. From there, he was named a McDonald’s All-American while also participating in the Nike Hoop Summit and Chris Brickley Invitational.

He gave everything he had to give at this level, and now, it’s time to take on the challenge of suiting up in blue and white as a Wildcat.

Mark Pope is excited to get his hands on the 7-footer, who finished his high school career as a consensus top-30 prospect and No. 1 center, according to the 2025 On3 Industry Ranking. From one big man to another, he sees a very good player only getting better every time he takes the floor — and other important folks in the basketball world feel the same way.

“This Malachi Moreno — I’m telling you what, man. It seems like every day college evaluators and NBA evaluators fall more and more in love with him,” Pope said this week. “He just keeps getting better, and he is getting better every day. We’re really excited to have him here.”

Those comments align with Pope calling fellow in-state signee Jasper Johnson a ‘superstar’ who needs to ‘come here and be great.’

“That’s what he wants to do. That’s what we want from him,” he said.

Above all else with those two? They are good people who understand what it means to wear the uniform as local talents. They grew up around the program and the fanbase, feeling the passion and winning tradition from right down the street.

Now they get to live it.

“As much I say about those two kids and their basketball skill, I think they’re great young people, man. The fact that they get to come here and represent everything that Kentucky is — I mean, I still have all my ‘KY Till I Die’ gear. I love that so much, via Jasper Johnson. Both of those guys feel that way and they’re going to be really special.”

It’s not the first time Pope has raved about the 7-footer from Georgetown, who sat courtside at practically every Kentucky game this season as the Wildcats made history, tying the all-time college basketball record for most top-15 wins.

Moreno will be expected to help the program make more history in the coming years.

“Malachi Moreno is probably the best center in all of high school basketball, and he fits us also,” Pope said at the time of his signing. “Every time I see him, he’s grown a little bit bigger than me, and he likes to rub it in. … He’s a special, special human being. He’s massive, and he’s an elite level passer, and he’s got — you meet him and you think, ‘Oh, this guy is just the nicest, biggest dude I’ve ever met,’ but when he gets in the fray, in the mix, there’s a little bit of violence and determination that comes out of him that was really fun for me to see. … We’re really excited.”

We’re excited, too.

Can we get those summer workouts started yet? Only a few weeks away.