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Malachi Moreno is withdrawing from the 2026 NBA Draft and will return to Kentucky Basketball, he announced Sunday night on Instagram and Twitter.
Moreno was testing the waters and even getting first-round buzz leading into the May 27 NCAA deadline to withdraw from the draft, but in the end, he’ll stay at Kentucky for another season in hopes of becoming a higher pick in the 2027 draft.
This also means Kentucky has its starting center spot set for next season, as that was a position that would have become dangerously thin had Moreno stayed in the draft. While Washington center Frank Kepnang is coming to Lexington, he’s had a lot of trouble staying healthy.
Thankully, this news means Moreno can take up most of the center minutes while keeping Kepnang’s minutes limited in hopes he’ll actually hold up for the duration of the season.
Moreno is coming off an impressive true freshman campaign in which he became the starting center after originally being viewed as a developmental backup for Year 1. In 36 games (30 starts), the Georgetown (KY) native averaged 7.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 58.2% from the field.
The former 4-star prospect out of nearby Great Crossing is a massive piece for a Kentucky roster that is nearly complete, with the last major domino likely being a decision from Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic, who is also testing the NBA waters.
Head coach Mark Pope previously stated that he expects Moreno to be the best center in America when the 2026-27 college basketball season tips off. Now, he’ll get a chance to turn that into a reality.
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