Kentucky basketball 2025 target listed as standout at NBPA Top 100 Camp

This Kentucky target is turning heads at camps.

Great Crossing's Malachi Moreno (24) and teammates mob Vince Dawson (1) in jubilation after Dawson's last second shot lifted the Warhawks 48-46 over Newport at Thursday's 2023 Chad Gardner Law King of the Bluegrass holiday basketball tournament at Fairdale High School. Dec. 21, 2023 / Matt Stone/The Courier Journal / USA

Now that Mark Pope has put together his roster for the 2024-25 season, he has turned his head to start recruiting the 2025 class.

One player that Kentucky has been all over is in-state target Malachi Moreno, who plays at Great Crossing High School. Moreno is a seven-footer listed as the 17th best player in the 2025 class according to On3.

Moreno is currently participating in the NBPA Top 100 Camp and has been listed as a top performer on both days of the event with some of the other top players in the 2025 class.

When watching Moreno play, it doesn't come as much of a surprise that he is performing well in these events as he is an elite player in the post. The 210-pound big man has a wide variety of post moves down low, making it really difficult for other bigs to guard him in the paint. He isn't your normal seven-footer coming out of high school, as he is strong and bullies' opponents down low.

Currently, On3's recruiting prediction matching gives the Wildcats an 86% chance to land this elite in-state prospect. Coach Calipari had already built a relationship with Moreno, and now Coach Pope will have to make up this ground, as recruiting is all about relationships.

It would hurt to see a highly ranked recruit who lives only about 30 minutes from Rupp Arena go play for another team, so Coach Pope needs to work really hard to land Moreno. Big Blue Nation needs to pay attention to the name Moreno during the 2025 recruiting process.

2025 4 ⭐️ Malachi Moreno is the #1 player out of Kentucky for a reason 🔥@malachimoreno24 pic.twitter.com/4jfJgRrwfN

— League Ready (@LeagueRDY) June 10, 2024