One player on the Kentucky basketball team who isn’t drawing a ton of attention from the fan base right now is center Malachi Moreno. The reason his name isn’t being discussed as much as some other players is likely because of how good Jayden Quaintance is going to be, but Moreno is playing really good basketball right now.
Many believed Moreno would be the third-string center, behind Quaintance and Brandon Garrison, but there are some reports coming out that Moreno might be outplaying Garrison.
Some might forget, but Moreno was a McDonald’s All-American, and the Kentucky native has played well in every big event he has attended. One of the knocks on Moreno was that he played at Great Crossing, and the seven-footer was dominating lesser competition, but every stop he has made camp-wise, Moreno has been one of the standouts.
If it is true that Moreno is playing just as good, if not better than Garrison right now, this should have Big Blue Nation fired up. Garrison proved last season that he is a capable center in the SEC, which means Moreno is already that right now.
Quaintance is fighting back from his ACL injury, so many believe that during the first few games of the season, Garrison and Moreno will play a larger role. This will give the freshman Moreno some time to adjust to the speed of college basketball and get his feet wet at the next level.
When the reports came out that Moreno is out playing Garrison, many immediately assumed this means Garrison is struggling. This is not the case. Garrison is a great player. The reality is that the new freshman, Moreno, is as well.
Mar 21, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Kentucky forward Brandon Garrison (10) drives past Troy forward Jackson Fields (15) defense during the second half of their first round NCAA men’ s basketball tournament game at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jovanny Hernandez/USA Today Network via Imagn Images / Jovanny Hernandez-Imagn Images
In his first season at Kentucky, Moreno might not play much more than ten minutes a game, but he will need to play well in the role he is given.
When watching film on Moreno, the part of his game that stands out is his moves in the post. He is one of the smoothest scorers around the rim that we have seen at Kentucky in a very long time.
Moreno’s footwork is elite, and this is going to be the reason he will succeed early at the college level. Big Blue Nation will be rooting for Moreno hard, knowing he is a Kentucky native, and he could be one of the surprise stars on the 2025-26 Kentucky basketball team. A breakout season is coming up for the seven-footer from Georgetown.