Malachi Moreno’s Surging Rise: The Unexpected Prospect Shaking Up NBA Draft Predictions

Coming into the season, the script was supposed to be simple. Kentucky Basketball knew Jayden Quaintance was likely a one-and-done talent. Even with his injury struggles, the NBA scouts have been tracking him for years.

But while everyone was watching Quaintance, another Wildcat has quietly, or maybe not so quietly anymore, snuck his way up the draft boards.

Malachi Moreno is playing his way into the first round, and Kentucky fans might need to start preparing for the reality that they could lose two 7-footers to the league this summer.

The scouts are taking notice of Malachi Moreno

Moreno wasn’t necessarily projected as a “one-and-done” lottery pick when he arrived on campus, but his efficiency has forced the issue. Major outlets are now consistently ranking him as a top-30 prospect.

FanSided ranks him at No. 20, noting: “Despite a fluctuating role, Malachi Moreno looks the part of an NBA contributor… He has ready-made size and strength for the next level, on top of impressive agility in space, which allows Moreno to fully weaponize his reported 7-foot-2 wingspan.”
SB Nation lists him as the 23rd-best prospect in the entire class.

Why Moreno is rising

It is easy to see why the league is intrigued. In just 22 minutes per game, Moreno is putting up extremely productive numbers: 8.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks. He is shooting 58.6% from the field, proving he knows his role and doesn’t force bad shots.