Michael Moreno played at EKU so he could stay close to younger brother Malachi

Great Crossing’s Malachi Moreno has quickly become a household name in the recruiting world, especially across the Commonwealth. The four-star talent is the next in line of in-state prospects to establish themselves as one of the best high school players in the country. Clocking in at 7-foot, 210 pounds, Moreno is ranked No. 32 overall in the 2025 class by the On3 Industry Ranking. He’s down to a group of eight finalists that includes the home-state Kentucky Wildcats, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Louisville, North Carolina, Notre Dame, and Ohio State.

But his older brother, Michael Moreno, was and is an incredibly talented basketball player in his own right. The 6-foot-7 Michael was named First-Team All-State three times while suiting up for Scott County High School, scoring over 2,300 points for the Cardinals from 2015-19. He was a 2019 Mr. Basketball finalist and had his choice of over a dozen Division I basketball opportunities.

But instead of leaving the Bluegrass State to play somewhere like Toledo, Lehigh, St. Louis, Winthrop, Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, or any out-of-state schools that offered him scholarships, Michael elected to stay close to home. He played five seasons at Eastern Kentucky University from 2019-24, finishing his career as the only player in program history to record at least 1,500 points and 900 rebounds.

The reasoning behind his decision? To be as close as possible to his younger (and clearly talented basketball player) brother, Malachi. Georgetown, KY — where the Moreno brothers grew up and play/played high school ball — is only about a 40-minute drive from EKU over in Richmond, KY.

“The hardest part about love is sacrifice. My younger brother was the whole reason why I ended up staying in Kentucky for college and everything,” Michael said Friday morning on KSR. “I didn’t really want to live the most important years of his life up-to-date through a phone and videos and everything else. I wanted to be present for that.

“So it was important for me to stick around. Going into literally the most important year of his life and the last year of his child life, being a kid, getting to enjoy those experiences and everything. It can be hard to think about, but ultimately you’ve got to weigh options and do what’s best for yourself. I feel like I’ve prepared him enough now and given him enough guidance and he knows he can always call me.”

That’s some serious brotherly love right there. The timing works out well, too. Michael is working hard to begin his professional basketball career. He’s in talks with some teams in Western Europe and hopes to continue chasing his dream. Meanwhile, Malachi is about to embark on his senior year of high school, where he intends to win a state championship with Great Crossing after losing in the semifinals this past season.

After that, Malachi will begin his own college career. And as much as the two brothers would like to go through that process together, at some point, they know they’ll have to go their separate ways.

But until that time comes, Michael is going to stay as close to his brother as possible. He’s been accompanying him on college visits and offering advice along the way. By Michael’s own admission, Malachi is a year away from being a better basketball player than he ever has been. Couple that high-end talent with NIL, and recruiting looks a little bit different than it did even just five years ago.

In today’s recruiting world, having a voice in your ear looking out for what’s best is necessary. For Malachi, it’s his older brother.

“Biggest thing I told him is man, you’ve gotta go where you’re wanted and where you’re gonna develop,” Michael said of his talks with Malachi. “Because in today’s world, people can offer you a lot at the level he’s gonna play at. I didn’t experience that, NIL wasn’t in whenever I was coming through recruitment.

“So it’s a much different space now, but understanding it’s still about development. It’s still about where you’re wanted and where you’re gonna be loved and where you’re gonna be truly pushed to develop. Because you ultimately want to achieve a dream and his dream is to be in the NBA.”

But life also isn’t all about basketball. Michael serves as a role model to his younger brother, both on and off the floor. Not only is Malachi thriving on the hardwood, but he’s also thriving as an individual.

“He’s grown up into a fine young man,” Michael added. “He’s been able to really develop into a good human being and that’s more important than anything.”