Jaron Pierre is one of the hottest names on the board on Kentucky’s transfer portal shortlist, and for good reason. The 6-5, 190-pound transfer from Jacksonville State is one of the most prolific scorers in the country, scoring a nation-high 777 points last season.

KY Insider first reported on Tuesday that Kentucky had contacted Pierre, and that Pierre was “definitely” interested in the Cats. Tonight, we can report that a Zoom has been scheduled for Pierre and Kentucky for Friday.

Talking with Pierre and his agent, Kentucky is making a strong push. Mark Pope and associate head coach Alvin Brooks visited Pierre in Dallas immediately following his visit to SMU on Wednesday, before the recruiting dead period hit (April 3rd-10th), selling them on the “Mecca of college basketball.”

Per the NCAA, a dead period is that period of time when it is not permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts or evaluations on or off the member institution’s campus or to permit official or unofficial visits by prospective student-athletes to the institution’s campus.

The two coaches were fresh off a visit to Minnesota where they visited Pitt transfer Jaland Lowe, and discussed with Pierre about the two potentially playing together, among other players. This is interesting, as some believed that it would be one or the other. It also says that Kentucky is looking to have Pierre play more off the ball if he were to come to Kentucky.

According to Pierre and his agent, April 7th is a date that they are keeping an eye on as the NIL landscape could completely change, and they could make a decision as soon as this weekend. However, they do not want to rush this process.

More updates to come.

Malachi Moreno, a Kentucky native and official commit for the 2025-26′ roster, has showed out on some of the biggest stages in pre-college basketball in the lead-up to his first season for the Wildcats.

This past Tuesday, the 7-foot, four-star recruit finished with nine points, five boards and two blocks off the bench in the McDonald’s All-American game, flexing his versatility in a role that may end up being similar to the one he takes on in Lexington next season.

Moreno not only impressed with his efficiency, but he even managed to knock down a corner triple at one point during the game, finishing 4/5 from the field in total. Good metrics and good signs aplenty for the ‘Cats commit.

This performance comes on the heels of a star-making performance on the high school level, as he led Great Crossing to the State Championship in a victory over Bowling Green, played in Rupp Arena. Moreno finished that contest with 24 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks, adding two assist to boot.

Put plainly, the big man was everywhere.

Blue Blood

During a press session prior to the All-American game, Moreno spoke of Kentucky’s upcoming season, saying, “We’re coming in, we’re going to work hard, we’re going to win a lot, and we’re going to make some noise like he did this year.”

Exactly how much time he’ll spend on the court in his freshman season at Kentucky remains unclear, but if his performance in recent outings, as well as his bleed-blue attitude, are any indication, Coach Pope landed one for the long run in the center out of Great Crossing.

“Growing up in the state of Kentucky, you always want to play at the University of Kentucky,” he added.

While Coach Pope has become known for it, sometimes you don’t have to fly out of state to get your guy. In this case, he could be right down the road. Besides, Kentucky fans love few players more than their very own Commonwealth ‘Cats.

Fresh off of winning a Kentucky Basketball State Championship Saturday night, Malachi Moreno had no time to rest. After winning the State Championship, Moreno flew out the morning after to Brooklyn.

Just a few short months ago, Moreno was selected to participate in the McDonald’s All-American game. Being chosen to play in this game is considered the highest honor a high school basketball player can achieve. However, he wasn’t content with just being chosen to play in this game. He wanted to show everyone that he belongs in this crowd with the best of the best.

Playing against the elite of the elite, there was never a moment in which Moreno looked as if he didn’t belong. Although Moreno and Team East didn’t come away with a victory, he looked nothing short of impressive all night long.

In only 16 minutes of game time, Moreno finished with 9 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist. He also added 2 blocked shots on the game. Moreno, who is listed at 6’10, moves very well for his size. He has an elite feel around the rim, which is tough to find for a young big man like himself. However, his best attribute may be his shot blocking ability, as shown here.

Moreno is a very gifted shot-blocker who has a knack for timing his jump when blocking shots. This will help him fill a much-needed role next season for a Kentucky team that at times struggled defensively, more specifically with blocking shots.

His night didn’t end there, he also showcased his ability to step outside and shoot the 3 ball.

He only attempted 11 3’s during his Senior High School season, finishing at 3/11 for 27.3%, but he proves here that if left open. He won’t hesitate to let it fly.

At the practices, On3 named him their second-best performer.

“Malachi Moreno flew to the McDonald’s All-American events this morning straight off winning a Kentucky state championship last night. This scrimmage was his first participation of the week, and he made his presence felt immediately. Moreno has legit size, listed at 7-foot-0, with good length. He also has good hands, which helps his play around the basket. Moreno is a strong rebounder, cleaning up the boards in traffic. He also had a game-clinching block at the rim, putting it off the backboard. Offensively, he plays as a roll man and out of the dunker spots. It found his spots and played within himself, and he had some very loud finishes.“

Moreno is one of three exciting freshmen joining the Wildcats next season; alongside him are 4-stars Jasper Johnson and Acaden Lewis. These three highlight an exciting new young core for Mark Pope and company.