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The Kentucky Wildcats really need Malachi Moreno back.
Moreno will return to Kentucky if he doesn't keep his name in the NBA Draft, a deadline that is rapidly approaching on May 27. The Cats' starting center for most of the 2025-26 season has been a fast riser on most draft boards and could even be a first-round pick. He's widely projected to be anywhere between 20 and 40, but that certainly wouldn't net him the amount of money returning to Lexington would, at least not from the start.
Moreno and Jasper Johnson were the two big names that Mark Pope was able to attract in his first recruiting class, and the former certainly did not disappoint. He ended with 7.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, shooting 58.2% from the field. However, he's really been praised for his playmaking and size.
That said, in a recent discussion with 10 NBA executives, Jeff Goodman laid out their vision for some of the borderline prospects and what they should do. Nine of those 10 executives thought it'd be best for Moreno to return to college. Here's the polling with the many other names that were surveyed.
Milan Momcilovic is the other name to watch. All the executives wanted him back at the collegiate level, likely due to the limited ceiling of the 21-year-old forward. He played last season at Iowa State, a team that has a signficant postseason run and was among the ten best teams in the country for the majority of the season. Momcilovic averaged 16.9 points per game and appears likely to be a key target for the Cats. He would change their entire outlook on next season if he returns to college and chooses Kentucky.
That said, the next week will be huge for Kentucky hoops.
This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: NBA execs widely suggest Malachi Moreno to return to college
Continue reading...
Moreno will return to Kentucky if he doesn't keep his name in the NBA Draft, a deadline that is rapidly approaching on May 27. The Cats' starting center for most of the 2025-26 season has been a fast riser on most draft boards and could even be a first-round pick. He's widely projected to be anywhere between 20 and 40, but that certainly wouldn't net him the amount of money returning to Lexington would, at least not from the start.
Moreno and Jasper Johnson were the two big names that Mark Pope was able to attract in his first recruiting class, and the former certainly did not disappoint. He ended with 7.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, shooting 58.2% from the field. However, he's really been praised for his playmaking and size.
That said, in a recent discussion with 10 NBA executives, Jeff Goodman laid out their vision for some of the borderline prospects and what they should do. Nine of those 10 executives thought it'd be best for Moreno to return to college. Here's the polling with the many other names that were surveyed.
Milan Momcilovic is the other name to watch. All the executives wanted him back at the collegiate level, likely due to the limited ceiling of the 21-year-old forward. He played last season at Iowa State, a team that has a signficant postseason run and was among the ten best teams in the country for the majority of the season. Momcilovic averaged 16.9 points per game and appears likely to be a key target for the Cats. He would change their entire outlook on next season if he returns to college and chooses Kentucky.
That said, the next week will be huge for Kentucky hoops.
This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: NBA execs widely suggest Malachi Moreno to return to college
Continue reading...
