Malachi Moreno to compete in Chris Brickley Invitational

It’s been quite the run for Kentucky signee Malachi Moreno. The Georgetown, KY native went from winning Mr. Basketball to leading Great Crossing to the school’s first Sweet 16 title in March. From there, the 7-foot-1 center packed his bags and traveled to Brooklyn for the McDonald’s All-American Game, then Portland for the Nike Hoop Summit in April.

What will May bring the future Wildcat? How about another prestigious all-star event — this time in Chicago.

Moreno has been invited to the third annual Chris Brickley Invitational, coming to the Windy City on Saturday, May 10. There, he’ll be joined by the nation’s best, competing while working alongside one of the most famous trainers in basketball.

If the event sounds familiar, it’s because Jasper Johnson was named MVP in Chicago last year, finishing with 32 points on 8-9 from three. Now, it’s Moreno’s turn to show out as one of 20 players invited to participate. He’ll be joined by the likes of Chris Cenac Jr., Meleek Thomas, Darius Acuff Jr., Mikel Brown Jr., Trey McKenney, Eric Reibe, Sadiq White Jr., Kaden Magwood, Jerry Easter II and Jamier Jones among incoming college freshmen, plus elite recruits in 2026, 2027 and 2028 such as Anthony Thompson, Qayden Samuels, Cameron Holmes, Luca Foster, Ryan Hampton and Kameron Mercer, among others.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Brickley Invitational (@brickleyinvitational)

Last year’s roster included the likes of Darryn Peterson, Jeremiah Fears, Caleb Wilson, Tyran Stokes, Ian Jackson, Rob Wright and Jalil Bethea along with Johnson.

It’s the final event for Moreno before he takes his talents to Kentucky with move-in scheduled for early June. From there, it’s all about making his debut in blue and white, preparing for a promising college career in Lexington.

That’s something Mark Pope is certainly excited to see, keeping arguably the nation’s top center home — right where he belongs.

“Malachi Moreno is probably the best center in all of high school basketball, and he fits us also,” Pope said of the future Wildcat. “Every time I see him, he’s grown a little bit bigger than me, and he likes to rub it in. … He’s a special, special human being. He’s massive, and he’s an elite level passer, and he’s got — you meet him and you think, Oh, this guy is just the nicest, biggest dude I’ve ever met, but when he gets in the fray, in the mix, there’s a little bit of violence and determination that comes out of him that was really fun for me to see. … We’re really excited.”

Can Moreno follow in Johnson’s footsteps by bringing MVP honors back home to Kentucky?