Malachi Moreno likes Kentucky’s new roster, namely longtime friend Zoom Diallo

Malachi Moreno is still testing the NBA Draft waters as he weighs a second season at Kentucky vs. an early start to his professional career. The latter is alluring — especially as his stock rises — but it sounds like Moreno is a fan of what Mark Pope is building in Lexington, especially Kentucky’s new point guard, Zoom Diallo.

At the NBA Draft Combine on Wednesday, Moreno told reporters that he met several of the newest Wildcats over the last month, even hosting some on their official visits. One of them, Diallo, is a familiar face to Moreno. The two met at the Adidas EuroCamp in 2023 and have stayed in touch over the years, as Diallo started his college career at Washington and Moreno at Kentucky.

“Yeah, I mean, I’ve definitely kept up, seeing the team that they built. I think it’s pretty solid. I think it looks really well. I think I would fit with a lot of guys who are there as well.

“I’ve known Zoom for a long time. We went to the Adidas EuroCamp together way back in high school. We’ve kept in touch over the years. And then just throughout the year, when some of the guys would come in on visits, when the portal started opening up, I was mostly the host while I was still in school, so I got to meet a lot of the guys that are signed with us now, and that are coming. And I can say that they’re some pretty swell guys.”

Having grown up a Kentucky fan and been under the spotlight as a player for his freshman season, Moreno knows the pressure and scrutiny that surrounds the program. That’s been ratcheted up this offseason, a pivotal one for Mark Pope, but Moreno believes the group that Pope has put together so far is a good one.

“Yeah, I mean, being at Kentucky, it’s almost like a double-edged sword. Like, they’re going to love what they see, but they’re also not going to like what they see. And I think you just have to kind of accept both of those factors. You can’t please everybody, but I really do think that with the team that they have, I really think that, if the best opportunity is for me to go back, I think we could really make some noise.”

Will Moreno be a part of it? You probably noticed that he switched from “we” to “they” a few times when talking about Kentucky. He is unquestionably a cornerstone of next year’s roster. Last week, Mark Pope said that getting Moreno to sign his return deal was the staff’s “top priority” this offseason, and that if he returns to Kentucky, he will be the best center in college basketball. Pope was in Chicago on Wednesday to meet with Moreno and check on Kentucky’s other combine participants, Otega Oweh and Jayden Quaintance — and hopefully, a target, Milan Momcilovic.

So proud of my guys chasing their dreams! @OtegaOweh @malachimoreno24 @qjayhoops pic.twitter.com/g7Rpv3MDfs

— Mark Pope (@CoachMarkPope) May 13, 2026

As a freshman, Moreno expected to be a role player, but he surpassed Brandon Garrison as the starting center just five games into the season. He went on to average 7.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, earning SEC All-Freshman honors. There is still room to grow when it comes to finishing and explosiveness, but the talent is there. That’s why NBA teams are intrigued. Last week, Moreno worked out for the New York Knicks, who have the Nos. 24, 31, and 55 picks. Yesterday, he said he’s met with four more teams this week: Los Angeles Lakers (No. 25), Miami (Nos. 13, 41), Boston (Nos. 27, 40), and Portland.

Stay at Kentucky to lead his home state school back to greatness while developing into a lottery pick or chase his dream of being a pro now? Moreno has until May 27 at 11:59 p.m. ET to make that decision. It’s not an easy one, but he’s got a strong support group, most notably, his brother Michael.

“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.”

“Whether that’s staying in the draft or going back to college, we’re gonna make the right decision, and then we’re gonna go on from there.”

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