Malachi Moreno trusted Mark Pope's pitch to him during the NBA Draft process

Pope knew Moreno could benefit in a big way with another year of college.

Jan 10, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats center Malachi Moreno (24) motions for the crowd to cheer during the first half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Malachi Moreno had a tough decision on his hands this off-season when he was choosing between staying in the NBA Draft or returning to college. The seven-footer took up until two days before the deadline to make his decision, where he ultimately decided to return. Moreno returning wasn't an easy one, though.

The Kentucky native admits it was a difficult decision deciding between a unique lifetime dream or coming back to chase another lifelong dream. "It was a pretty difficult decision to me," Moreno told reporters on Thursday. "I was talking with my brother and my agent every single day, just kind of handling what they were hearing, the kind of feedback they were getting. One day we just got some of the feedback and we were like, you know what, it might be in our favor to go back and really improve this next year."

Feb 28, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats center Malachi Moreno (24) spins to the basket around Vanderbilt Commodores forward Jalen Washington (13) during the second half at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

What really helped Moreno was Mark Pope's pitch to him throughout the tough process. The Kentucky native trusted Pope, who continued making the pitch that he could become an All-American with another year of college, which in turn, would boost his stock a lot in a draft class that, quite frankly, is not that deep.

"That was one of the main key things he kept pushing towards me as I was going through the process, was that he believes that I can be the best center in the country and be an all-American type big and improve my stock in the process," Moreno said of Mark Pope's pitch to him this off-season. "So, just hearing that and the way he threw me in the fire early last year really brought me forward. Now he's holding me to a different standard. I think it's just making me so much better."

Feb 4, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats center Malachi Moreno (24) shoots a free throw during the second half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Moreno got a ton of feedback from NBA scouts and front offices during his time at the NBA Combine in Chicago and now, he'll use that to work on things he needs to work on in order to further boost his stock and hopefully lead Kentucky to a title in the process. After the combine, Moreno received some first-round buzz, but it wasn't solidified. Moreno would've taken a big risk when he could come back and continue boosting his stock. Many believe it's definitely possible Moreno could play his way into a lottery pick next year.

The Kentucky native is going to work hard to acheive a lifelong dream while chasing another dream of his next season in Lexington as the anchor of the team. It could pay off in a huge way for Moreno.

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