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NBA Draft Correspondent Expects Malachi Moreno to Return to Kentucky, “He’s better suited going back to college”

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2 months ago

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While his stock is rising, NBA Draft analyst Krysteen Peek says Malachi Moreno's combine shooting didn't impress, and he's better suited returning to Kentucky for another year of development.
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Priority number one for the Kentucky Wildcats this offseason was to retain Malachi Moreno.

Announcing soon after the season that he would be going through the NBA Draft process, it seemed that was just a formality before announcing a return. However, Moreno’s stock has risen substantially, with multiple mock drafts showing he is a first-round pick.

Once seen as a pencil-in to return, Moreno’s decision has become much more difficult as he has had the opportunity to get in front of teams and put his game on display at the combine and private workouts.

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That said, NBA Draft analyst Krysteen Peek is still confident Moreno will be at Kentucky next season.

“He hit the court yesterday for the combine part of it that was agility testing and then also shooting, and he was just okay,” Peek said on The Leach Report. “For a player like Malachi, I honestly, I think it’s good for players to go through the combine testing and the pre-draft process and get feedback from teams, and you never know where a player is going to end up.”

There were flashes worth noting. Peek acknowledged Moreno’s physical transformation since last year’s U-19 trials, calling out his movement and body development as genuine high points. In the NBA Draft process, flashes aren’t enough, and his performance in shooting drills didn’t turn heads. He also elected to sit out of 5v5 scrimmages.

“He’s better suited going back to college for another year,” Peek said plainly. “His shooting wasn’t — it didn’t jump off the page.”

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The calculus here isn’t complicated. For prospects who aren’t locked into a guaranteed first-round slot, returning to college is almost always the smarter financial and developmental play. Peek pointed to UConn guard Liam McNeely as an example, a fringe first-round player who bet on himself, went 29th, and has spent his first year grinding in the G League.

“You know how much he probably would have wished that he had gone back to UConn and had the year that UConn had, and been able to make more money and play among his peers,” Peek said.

As it stands, Moreno has not received a first-round promise. If he receives that, his decision becomes much more of a coin flip.

Peek argues that the smart bet is another year under Mark Pope, another year of development, another year to transform a promising combine into a first-round lock, knocking on the lottery. and a dramatically larger payday on the other side.

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“It’s not looking like he’s going to pop off the page for NBA teams,” Peek said. “So that bodes well for Kentucky fans.”

Moreno has a pro-day with his agency this weekend and has workouts scheduled with multiple teams. The deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft is May 27th.

Listen to Peek’s full interview below.

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Men's Basketball

College Basketball Rankings: Where Kentucky Stands in Updated “way-too-early” Polls

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2 weeks ago

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July 3, 2026

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Where Kentucky basketball stands in ESPN and CBS Sports updated way-too-early rankings after more coaching changes, player additions, and injuries.
UK Athletics

Last offseason, Kentucky was considered a top-10 team and a true title contender, but ended the season as one of the most disappointing teams in the country, winning just one game in the NCAA Tournament.

This offseason, Kentucky is barely cracking the top 15 in most preseason rankings and will look to climb the rankings throughout the season rather than fall.

Still 120+ days out from the start of the regular season, ESPN and CBS Sports have updated their “way-too-early” rankings following Dusty May’s jump from Michigan to the NBA, more player additions for teams, and some early-season-ending injuries.

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The rankings remain fairly static, however, with the Wildcats holding steady in ESPN’s rankings while moving ahead of St. John’s in CBS Sports’ rankings following Donnie Freeman’s Achilles injury.

ESPN

17. Kentucky Wildcats

Previous ranking: 17 (no change)

Impact newcomer: Milan Momcilovic

Momcilovic was the best transfer in the portal, after a season in which he established himself as the best shooter in college basketball. The 6-8 forward withdrew from the NBA draft on the night of the deadline, committing to coach Mark Pope’s team a few days later after also being pursued by Louisville and Arizona. He’s immediately an All-America contender and the most dangerous player on the Wildcats’ roster, after averaging 16.9 points and shooting 48.7% from 3 last season.

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Projected starting lineup

Zoom Diallo (15.7 PPG at Washington)
Alex Wilkins (17.8 PPG at Furman)
Milan Momcilovic (16.9 PPG at Iowa State)
Ousmane N’Diaye (9.8 PPG for Cremona in Serie A)
Malachi Moreno (7.8 PPG)

CBS Sports

16. Kentucky Wildcats

Previous ranking: 17 (⬆️1)

This ranking is based on the Wildcats returning one of the top six scorers — specifically Malachi Moreno — from a team that finished 22-14 and advanced to the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. That core will be joined by a recruiting class highlighted by Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic, Washington transfers Zoom Diallo and Franck Kepnang, Washington State transfer Jerone Morton, James Madison transfer Justin McBride, Providence transfer Alex Wilkins, four-star prospect Mason Williams and international prospect Ousmane N’Diaye.

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Men's Basketball

Mark Pope Discusses Final Assistant Coach Position, “I’m not in desperate need of adding more pieces”

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2 weeks ago

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July 3, 2026

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Mark Pope isn't rushing to fill Kentucky's final assistant coach opening, saying pending NCAA rules on international players could shift his plans.
UK Athletics

Kentucky basketball has operated this offseason without a full staff. Assistant coaches Alvin Brooks III and Jason Hart left the program back in March, and Mark Pope has only filled one of the two spots since, hiring former NBA All-Star Mo Williams from Jackson State.

Despite that, Kentucky managed to bring in the 3rd ranked transfer class in the country, highlighted by Milan Momcilovic, and have secured a commitment from 2027 five-star Ryan Hampton.

“I like my organization a lot right now. I think this group is functioning at a high level,” Pope said about his staff in an interview with BBN Tonight. “I like the way our staff feels. I like the way we feel in the staff meeting every day. I like the way we’re executing on the road. I like the way we feel on the court right now.”

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With an assistant coach position sitting vacant, Pope is satisfied with how his staff is performing and says there is no urgency in filling the role. Instead, he’s waiting to see how NCAA guidelines and rules unfold in the coming weeks.

“I’m not in desperate need of adding more pieces, although I’m open to the idea,” he said.

“There are going to be a whole host of legal cases from our league testing the CSC and the NCAA on their current guidelines and rules on international players. And depending on what the outcome of those are, it could very much shift the direction we go with hiring.”

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Mark Pope Says Kentucky’s Final Roster Spot Is About Fit, “There’s got to be a very uniquely positioned piece”

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2 weeks ago

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July 3, 2026

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Mark Pope opens up on Kentucky Basketball's final roster spot, emphasizing fit over hype as the Nikola Kusturica recruitment nears a decision.
UK Athletics

Kentucky basketball is wrapping up its third week of practice in an eight-week summer training block. While the players are getting acclimated to Mark Pope’s system and to each other, there is still one roster spot to be filled.

“I am enjoying coaching these guys, but we’re also still really active in recruiting,” Pope said in an interview with BBN Tonight.

One name that Wildcat fans have been keeping a close eye on in recent weeks is Nikola Kusturica, a 17-year-old prospect from Serbia, who is currently playing for FC Barcelona and is a projected lottery pick in the 2028 NBA Draft. His recruitment is down to Kentucky and UCLA, with the latter having the momentum and a decision expected soon.

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Whoever the final roster piece will be, Pope emphasizes that they must fit with the other 14 players on the roster.

“Where we are with our roster, there’s got to be a very uniquely positioned piece that fits,” he said.

“There are several different archetypes of piece that would fit this roster really well, but there’s also a lot of guys who are popping up as available or have been available for a little while who don’t turn out to be the fit that’s going to work for this team.”

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