NBA execs widely suggest Malachi Moreno to return to college
Malachi Moreno has yet to make a decision on his NBA future, but the majority of NBA executives that were sampled think college is the better route.
The Kentucky Wildcats really need Malachi Moreno back. Moreno will return to Kentucky if he doesn't keep his name in the NBA Draft, a deadline that is rapidly approaching on May 27 . The Cats' starting center for most of the 2025-26 season has been a fast riser on most draft boards and could even be a first-round pick.
He's widely projected to be anywhere between 20 and 40, but that certainly wouldn't net him the amount of money returning to Lexington would, at least not from the start. Moreno and Jasper Johnson were the two big names that Mark Pope was able to attract in his first recruiting class, and the former certainly did not disappoint. He ended with 7.
8 points and 6. 3 rebounds per game, shooting 58. 2% from the field.
However, he's really been praised for his playmaking and size. That said, in a recent discussion with 10 NBA executives, Jeff Goodman laid out their vision for some of the borderline prospects and what they should do. Nine of those 10 executives thought it'd be best for Moreno to return to college.