Malachi Moreno Discusses Stay-or-Go Decision at the NBA Combine

Kentucky basketball fans are impatiently waiting to learn what Malachi Moreno‘s future holds. The 7-foot center from Georgetown is considered a fringe first-round pick in this summer’s NBA Draft. This week, he’s essentially participating in a tryout at the NBA Combine.

After receiving measurements and going through testing on Tuesday, the Kentucky center spoke with the media on Wednesday afternoon about his pending decision.

“This is my dream, to be in the NBA, so I’m looking at it with my best foot forward. Obviously, I left the option on the table to come back to college if I could,” he told CBS’ Isaac Trotter.

“Right now, all that’s leading into the decision is just how these next couple of weeks go. I know I have until the 27th to make that decision. I’ll just have a lot of talks with my brother because he’s probably going to be the most important factor in this decision. I’ll talk to my family, talk to my inner circle, and see what the best decision is for me at the time.”

As Tyler Thompson detailed during the season, Michael Moreno has worked hand-in-hand, step-by-step, with his brother throughout their basketball careers. That isn’t changing ahead of Malachi’s most critical decision yet.

Before reaching a final conclusion at the May 27 NBA Draft withdrawal deadline, they made one other decision together. Malachi Moreno did not participate in today’s five-on-five scrimmages.

“After talks with my brother and my agent, they kind of just said that they thought I was in a pretty good spot. I got pro day coming up after this, after the week’s over in L.A. I want to be full-strength for that. Then I have a couple more workouts after that, that are getting set up,” said Moreno.

Moreno has already worked out with the Knicks. He’s been getting good feedback, but does he need a first-round guarantee to stay in the NBA Draft?

“Obviously, I’d love to be a first-round pick. That’d be great. But like I said, I have two weeks to make a decision, so I’m kinda just talking with my inner circle to see what’s my best decision.”

There are exactly two weeks until he must reach a final conclusion. Until then, Kentucky basketball fans must continue to play the waiting game.

Good stuff from Kentucky big man Malachi Moreno on what’s next for him in the decision-making process.

He chose not to participate in today’s scrimmage because his agent relayed that “he thought I was in a pretty good spot.” pic.twitter.com/xtTSdYBOsT

— Isaac Trotter (@Isaac__Trotter) May 13, 2026

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