Malachi Moreno
- Thread starter Possum
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If he can play close to what he did at the slop bucket going forward, it could completely change our offense for the better. A post presence and a threat on the block to score, opens lanes for cuts and driving then open 3s on the wings. He struggled against vandy but showed out Saturday, a huge piece for this year and next for sure.
He’s not going to be here next year. He was projected to go #20 in the last mock draft that I saw a couple weeks ago. Unless NIL money can top NBA money, I don’t see him coming back. I think he only gets better as the season goes on too.
Zero chance he goes pro this year. This is a deep draft, he isn’t a first rounder. He will be in a year or two though.
I hope that you’re right but if he does, you heard it here first.
High school recruiting rankings often have a big future pro potential bias, but Moreno was a No. 1 ranked Center coming out of high school. Still, I doubt anybody outside his family and friends anticipated the production he’s provided as a freshman. If he fixes that shot and learns how to use his body in the post I think he’ll be both a college star and future starting pro Center; if not, I still think he’s going to be a very good college player and maybe an NBA role player.
If he is smart, he will return for next year, this class is loaded, and he would go much higher next year, and get a much better contract.
Soft, soft, soft. If the guy can learn to play with a lot of hate in his heart, he has the chance to be a big time player. He would get eaten alive in the NBA right now. I want to see Mean Moreno.
Good to see a Kentucky Boy starting to shine
He will be here next year, hes not going to take a serious low ball offer from the NBA for being drafted late 1st round . He would lose millions next year
He could dominate next season and definitely be a top 10 pick, this draft is loaded like others have said but he could come back and be an AA avg double double with 3-4 bpg……man I hope he returns lol & gives his body another year to mature.
Maybe MM will put his name in the draft to get feedback, but it would be a major blow he chose to leave after one year. Need him to come back, work hard in the off-season, be all-SEC next year, and improve his draft position.
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Name five centers better than Moreno in college basketball. We have a supposed lottery draft pick in shut down mode. Most say if he was playing he would need to come off the bench behind Moreno. Said in the Purdue game chat enjoy him this year. He’s gone. Only way he’s back is if he truly loves UK.
Remember NBA is still drafting on potential. He doesn’t need to be the best version of himself. Someone will get him and put him to work.
huge mm fan but boozer yaxel veesaar, chinyelu, tarris reed, are way better
mm next year could be top 5
If I have to take off my blue tinted glasses for this one (love me some Moreno), I'd say you could have the conversation where these guys are at his level or better (though most are not Freshmen). I'd certainly put Moreno at or very near the top of freshmen centers.
Zuby Ejifor (St. Johns)
Mortiejus Krivas (Arizona) I hope I spelt that right
Nate Bittle (Oregon)
Ruben Chinyelu (Florida)
Graham Ike (Gonzaga)
are probably just a tier above MM due to having all their intangibles more finely tuned, being stronger physically, and having better post games and shooting ability. MM will get there, and it appears, get there pretty quickly.
Ones you could argue are equal, slightly above, or slightly below MM
Thomaslav Ivisic (Illinois) More of your NBA style stretch center
Flory Bidunga (Kansas)
Morez Johnson Jr (Michigan) Probably the closest 1 for 1 comparison with MM
Tarris Reed Jr (UCONN)
Henri Veesaar (UNC) Slow start to the year but turning it up in conference play
I certainly hope Moreno returns, develops, gets stronger, anchors next season's team down low and enters a weaker draft than leaving now after this season on potential.
Zuby Ejifor (St. Johns)
Mortiejus Krivas (Arizona) I hope I spelt that right
Nate Bittle (Oregon)
Ruben Chinyelu (Florida)
Graham Ike (Gonzaga)
are probably just a tier above MM due to having all their intangibles more finely tuned, being stronger physically, and having better post games and shooting ability. MM will get there, and it appears, get there pretty quickly.
Ones you could argue are equal, slightly above, or slightly below MM
Thomaslav Ivisic (Illinois) More of your NBA style stretch center
Flory Bidunga (Kansas)
Morez Johnson Jr (Michigan) Probably the closest 1 for 1 comparison with MM
Tarris Reed Jr (UCONN)
Henri Veesaar (UNC) Slow start to the year but turning it up in conference play
I certainly hope Moreno returns, develops, gets stronger, anchors next season's team down low and enters a weaker draft than leaving now after this season on potential.
Ik you clearly stated about some being upperclassmen but do you think the NBA likes a senior that is slightly better than a freshman that’s just getting going. The fine tuned senior with all that experience is barely better. Moreno won’t get bullied by a single person in college ball. He’s had a few games stretch recently where he’s looked slow. Still held his own.
He comes back and gets conditioning up a level he will be unstoppable.
Bright future but HAS to get stronger and needs another year at UK.
I really like MM and believe he will be back next year. Would like to see MM and JJ spend the summer in the weight room.
This talk of him leaving after this year is a little premature, Cal is not here anymore and I don’t think Pope will be pushing him out the door. We need Moreno and he needs Kentucky at least another year or two. If Florida, Alabama and Tennessee and others can keep their upperclassmen big men around for 3 or 4 years we should be able to him a couple more years. Malachi can get a lot better when he gets more aggressive and experienced. He is having a great year for a freshman but has a much higher ceiling.
He might NOT be here next year, but he may come back at any time over the next 10 years to play for us again. I am just reading the new tea leaves of modern day college basketball. Go BBN!!!!
It really depends on the NBA franchise that would be taking a Center. If the need is immediate at Center, you want the more polished, already up to strength, with his post game on offense and defense figured out, and some form of mid range or three point ability. If the need is long term, backup minutes, etc you would take a flier (usually 2nd round) on a someone like Moreno who you can get into your strength and conditioning program and bring along with a 2-way contract. I think currently, big, physical, post centers give Moreno issues (Ike from Gonzaga for example) and it'll be interesting to see how he handles Athletic Centers like Chinyelu when we play Florida.
For a freshmen big he is developing into a top flight player.Rising Star!
I don’t think he’ll get a first round guarantee. That will get him paid more to be at UK next year. And the class as people are saying is really good, better for him to get more money next year, improve, and go higher.
But end of the day you can’t guess what these players will do. And I’m sure now that he can enter he will, so we’ll have to go through this.
I think he should come back as well and think it would benefit him in the long run. I think a few of our guys under Cal would still be playing in the NBA if they spent more time in college but they left too early when they weren’t really ready and fell through the cracks.
I think CMP has done a great job developing MM. I saw him in HS and his footwork and strength have really progressed.
Yeah or just more energy (kind of same thing). He kind of fools you at times. Kid has the talent and smarts but sometimes lacks energy and looks a little slow reacting, but as soon as I say that he turns it up and makes a big play. When he is active he's a really good player. Love to see him make quick decisive moves on the block, not just to score but to kick it out for other guys. He develops that and he's going to be really good.
I think he could end up like a less athletic Nick Richards. Consistent improvement and he’s already starting ahead production wise.
He’s the only player we have right now per position analytically in the top 25 for his positionRising Star!
But the NBA aren't looking for a back to the basket center, he has a way to go before he is NBA ready. In my opinion anyway.
He seams to be doing just fine his Freshman year 'Under Pope's only thing really wrong with Pope, is a bunch of impatient fans, that refuse to give him time.
JJ will not be at UK. Worst kept secret in the world.
You want the lottery numbers as well? Probably UNC
I like MM, but…what I see is 1) he‘s a half-step slow 2) not very explosive 3) so far hasn’t shown much in the way of shooting (LSU notwithstanding) although his form isn’t bad. He routinely passes up open foul line jumpers. Maybe just needs confidence regarding that. My conclusion is I wouldn’t draft him at this point. Gotta show me more.