Kentucky signs 4-star center Malachi Moreno

Kentucky coach Mark Pope secured a top talent — and a standout at the state level — on Friday when Malachi Moreno, a four-star center in the class of 2025, announced his commitment to the Wildcats.

Moreno, a Georgetown, Kentucky, native and the No. 36 recruit in his class according to ESPN, is the first commitment in the 2025 class for Kentucky's new head coach, who left BYU to replace John Calipari in April.

Moreno, a skilled 7-foot-10 center, is one of the few true centers in the class as more and more tall players covet the “positionless” label. But he's not Pope's only target.

Five-star prospect Jasper Johnson, a 6-foot-4 guard from Lexington, tops that list, which also includes Tounde Yessoufou, Chris Cenac Jr. and Braylon Mullins, who plays with Moreno at Indiana Elite.

Moreno is best known for his scoring on both back-to-the-basket and screens. The timing of his screens is impressive. He waits until the offensive player releases the ball, which is instinctive. He is dedicated to rebounding. He does a good job of grabbing high rebounds and holding them high for rebounds. He also possesses passing vision facing the basket, so he can operate on the perimeter as a high-low passer, screener, and on dribble handoffs. He also shows great basketball IQ to execute in the half court, as he is adept at slipping through screens. As he develops a solid foundation of functional strength, he will play with a lower base and not move as easily. There is still room for improvement in his shooting, but he has touch.

Moreno made the announcement at his high school in Georgetown, Kentucky (Great Crossing High School) in front of a packed crowd.

“There will be 1,800 students in our gym for this announcement,” Moreno told ESPN. “It's exciting.”

Pope, a former center who helped Kentucky win the national title in 1996 before spending a decade in the NBA, is known for a style that still incorporates big men as critical players on offense. That reality influenced Moreno’s decision.

“I chose Kentucky because of Coach Pope's style of play,” Moreno said. “He likes to play through his big men and allows them to pass. That's a big part of my game. From the day the new staff got the job, they've been very consistent in recruiting me. Coach Pope won a national title here as a player, so he knows what it takes to be great at Kentucky. I got an offer from Coach Pope. [Calipari] “I had to start over with Coach Pope. I had to earn my scholarship twice.”

Moreno also said Kentucky's legacy of developing big men, including several NBA stars, also influenced his final decision.

“Kentucky's campus is beautiful,” he said. “There are no better fans. I dreamed of playing there as a kid. I watched their big men: Nerlens Noel, Willie Cauley-Stein, Anthony Davis and Nick Richards. I plan to study education and be a teacher someday. My teachers have helped me a lot over the years. I want to do that for the next generation.”

Jeff Borzello contributed to this report.