Kentucky Wildcats News: Malachi Moreno opens up about his NBA Draft decision

Feb 28, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats center Malachi Moreno (24) celebrates from the bench during the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

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Kentucky Basketball center Malachi Moreno continues to weigh whether he will return to Kentucky for his sophomore season or remain in the 2026 NBA Draft.

When Moreno first announced he would test the NBA Draft waters, many believed the Georgetown, Kentucky native was almost certainly going to return to Lexington. Moreno reportedly even took a pay cut to return to Kentucky instead of entering the transfer portal.

However, after a breakout freshman season and increasing NBA interest, that decision is no longer viewed as a guarantee.

Coming into last season, Moreno was expected to be Kentucky’s third center behind Jayden Quaintance and Brandon Garrison. Instead, Quaintance played only four games all season, while Moreno stepped into a major role and became one of Kentucky’s biggest surprises.

Moreno averaged 7.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 58.2% from the field. He played in all 36 games and started 30 while averaging 22.6 minutes per contest.

“This is my dream, to be in the NBA, so I am looking at it with my best foot forward,” Moreno tells Isaac Trotter of CBS Sports. “Obviously, I left the option on the table to go back to college if I could. Right now, all this leading into the decision is just how these next couple of weeks go. I know I have until the 27th to make that decision, and I will just have a lot of talks with my brother because he is probably going to be the most important factor in this decision, talks with my family, talks with my inner circle, and seeing what is the best decision for me at the time.”