Malachi Morenothe No. 1 center in the country, is committed to Kentuckyhe tells KSR. The top 25 candidate chose the Wildcats over other finalists Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Louisville, North Carolina, Notre-Dame And Ohio State to become Mark Pope’s first signing in the class of 2025.

“I’m going to the big blue because I feel like it’s the right place for me,” he told KSR. “There’s no better place than home.”

Moreno is ranked as the No. 21 overall prospect and the No. 1 player in Kentucky according to On3 Player Rankings. He had official visits scheduled to Ohio State, North Carolina, Indiana, Arkansas and Kentucky in the coming months before moving up his commitment date.

Choosing his dream school

Why the rush? The 6-foot-4, 215-pound center from Georgetown wanted to let Big Blue Nation know that he’s fully committed to the Wildcats, not only in his final high school season at Great Crossing, but also in Mark Pope’s first in Lexington.

This is a chance for fans to support him as he supports the program just a few miles from campus.

“Just so I can dedicate myself to my dream school,” he said. “I want BBN to know that I’m here for business and that they have the whole season to watch me work, see my progress and see that he really cares about getting that next banner.”

Why was Kentucky his dream school when he was a child growing up in the area?

“Living just 20 minutes down the road, I watched them every game,” Moreno added. “When I saw how successful they were, I realized how much I wanted to play there. It was always my dream. Now I can make that dream come true.”

Mark Pope’s belief in Georgetown’s No. 1 center

Moreno first received a scholarship offer from the old coaching staff at Kentucky in October 2023. Coach Pope and his staff quickly extended a new offer to the nation’s top-ranked center and made it clear that they wanted to keep the likely McDonald’s All-American at home.

Your pitch was convincing.

“He knows how to train me, and I fit his system the best,” Moreno said of Pope’s message during the recruiting process. “He’s going to turn me into, as he puts it, a ‘fucking monster,’ so that no NBA team will want to pass on me in the draft.”

Moreno becomes recruiter for the Cats

The 7-foot-4 player is officially Pope and the Wildcats’ No. 1 commitment in 2025. Moreno is transitioning from recruit to recruiter as Kentucky basketball’s new representative, which was another reason he wanted to get his announcement behind him so he could start pushing other elite talent to join him in Lexington.

And he has a few tricks up his sleeve, he says.

“I’m going to do my recruiting behind the scenes so nobody knows I’m the best recruiter in the country,” Moreno told KSR. “The vision is just to get guys who believe in the system and believe in winning championships.”

His pitch to Kentucky’s top targets

He’s not ready to reveal his top recruiting targets yet, but he has several in mind that he plans to prioritize immediately. The sales pitch is simple: Moreno lists every detail of the program that convinced him to join during Pope’s freshman year.

To put it simply, no one else in college basketball has what Kentucky has.

“How could you not play here? The fans, the place, the buildings, the facilities, everything is what you need and what you want,” said the country’s No. 1 center. “There are not many places where you can say, ‘Oh, I have The.’ You know what I mean? They have an NBA strength and conditioning coach (Randy Towner) who came from the (Milwaukee) Bucks, who just won an NBA championship. That’s what sets them apart, he’s been through it all. He knows what it takes.

“Coach Pope won the championship in Kentucky. He knows what it feels like to hang a banner in that jersey. How could you not want to play?”

Ready to do business in Lexington

What do the Wildcats get with Moreno? Don’t confuse his personality off the court with what he does on the court.

As soon as he puts on his blue and white robe in the Rupp Arena, he is there to do his business.

“They’re getting a fun, lovable guy off the field,” he said. “On the field, they’re getting a dog that doesn’t mess around and gets the job done.”

The best big man of the up-and-coming senior class stays at home.