{"id":661421,"date":"2026-03-16T17:21:40","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T17:21:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/661421\/"},"modified":"2026-03-16T17:21:40","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T17:21:40","slug":"the-brother-behind-malachi-morenos-rise-at-kentucky","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/661421\/","title":{"rendered":"The Brother Behind Malachi Moreno\u2019s Rise at Kentucky"},"content":{"rendered":"

It was a scene that had played out a million times, but on that day in June 2025, it felt different. Malachi Moreno<\/a> had just moved into his new home at the University of Kentucky, only 20 minutes from his old home in Georgetown. The seven-foot freshman and his older brother Michael celebrated the only way they know how: basketball.<\/p>\n

With their mother, Sarah, watching, Malachi and Michael laced it up and held a three-point contest on the practice court at the Joe Craft Center.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was really cool to watch,\u201d Sarah Moreno told KSR. \u201cJust to see the dynamic from when Malachi was always following Michael, and then now Michael has graduated from college, and now Malachi is coming through college. Just to watch them together and how much they love each other, and they\u2019re super competitive.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you could ask either one of them, and either one of them would tell you who\u2019s going to win, and it would be a different answer every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

The predictions may change, but so far, the result has always been the same.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m gonna keep it brutally honest: I have yet to win,\u201d Malachi told KSR. \u201cBut I think that\u2019s kind of just how it is, being a little brother. You always want to beat your big brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe still can\u2019t beat me, but he\u2019s close,\u201d Michael said. \u201cHe\u2019s very, very close.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael won that day, not entirely a surprise considering he\u2019s the best three-point shooter in Eastern Kentucky University history; however, the chase continues, which Michael is counting on as Malachi\u2019s star continues to rise. After leading Great Crossing to its first state title, Malachi came to Kentucky thinking he\u2019d be a role player in his freshman season, just to earn a starting job six games in. He steadily improved throughout the year and was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team, one of the most promising rookies in the league.<\/p>\n

There is more work to be done in Lexington, but the NBA isn\u2019t too far off on the horizon. That\u2019s quite a journey for a kid from Georgetown, one that is only possible because of the person whose shadow he used to walk in and the sacrifices he made along the way.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis legacy is what built me,\u201d Malachi said of Michael. \u201cSo, anytime somebody brings it up, I say there\u2019s no me without him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Photos courtesy of Sarah Moreno<\/p>\n

If you saw Michael Moreno as a kid, there was a good chance you saw Malachi, too. Even though the brothers are six years apart in age, Malachi was constantly by Michael\u2019s side \u2013 sometimes to Michael\u2019s chagrin.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMalachi had to be everywhere Michael was,\u201d Sarah said. \u201cAnd Michael was like, Mom, does Malachi really need to be everywhere I am? But he was really good about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brothers being brothers, they were competitive in everything, Malachi desperate to get the best of Michael whenever he could. Monday Night Raw was appointment viewing, the brothers fighting over their favorite wrestlers and holding their own matches. Because he was smaller, Malachi thought he had the freedom to do whatever it took to take down Michael; one night, he went a little too far.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe used to jump on me while I would sleep. And one day, his heel hit me right in my face, and I got up, and it was the first time I was like, I\u2019m gonna put real hands on him this time. Well, needless to say, we didn\u2019t get to fight much more after that, just because he didn\u2019t try me anymore. He didn\u2019t sneak-attack me anymore. It was really, really kind of squashed from there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even at the risk of losing \u201ccool points,\u201d Michael let Malachi tag along with his friends to the point he became a member of the pack.<\/p>\n

\u201cLuckily, I had good enough friends who wanted to be around him as well, and they thought it was funny, because he was the kid who, when we would get in the car, we would turn on some music, he would put the sunglasses on and kind of put his arm out the window, and that\u2019s who he was. He was like, I\u2019m gonna do my best to fit in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was a kid, we were driving around late at night just listening to every music we could,\u201d Malachi said. \u201cI remember there were some songs we would play every time, and we would know word for word.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Photos courtesy of Sarah Moreno<\/p>\n

Drake and Playboi Carti became the soundtrack of Malachi\u2019s childhood because of those drives, Michael not feeling the need to censor his playlists just because Malachi was six years younger.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that was the moment when we started to get close, just when I started driving. I had to take him around. I was like, I\u2019m not gonna change who I am or what I\u2019m doing just because he\u2019s in the car. You know, I\u2019m gonna listen to the same music. I\u2019m gonna call my friends the same way, like, but he\u2019s just gonna be with me, and that\u2019s just how it\u2019s gonna be.\u201d<\/p>\n

After school, Malachi would go to Scott County High School to watch Michael practice. Even though he played in youth leagues, Malachi didn\u2019t have a huge interest in basketball at the time, content to just run around the gym while his older brother practiced, get loose balls, or hand out water bottles.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he was just happy to be around,\u201d Michael said. \u201cAs a kid, he was interested in cartoons and riding his bike. He was a typical kid. So for him, I think over time, he was going to be interested [in basketball]. It just was a matter of when.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

As Michael\u2019s basketball career got more serious, Malachi really didn\u2019t have a choice but to pay more attention. He started to play around on the court during Michael\u2019s practices, which is when it became clear he wasn\u2019t just any other kid. Billy Hicks, Michael\u2019s coach at Scott County, took notice.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, coming to the gym when I was playing, he\u2019s getting in the drills because my coach wanted him to be,\u201d Michael said. \u201cHe\u2019s always thinking future, always thinking next steps. And Malachi, at that time, was the future of the city.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Photos courtesy of Sarah Moreno<\/p>\n

With his size, Malachi excelled inside, pulling down rebounds and blocking shots with ease. He had good ball-handling skills, too, able to take the ball off the glass and down the court, even dribbling with his off hand. All of this from a kid who was just in the gym because he wanted to hang out with his big brother.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cSomehow, he always knew when to put his hands up,\u201d Michael said. \u201cHe somehow always knew to get his hands on the ball. He somehow always knew when it was time to contest a shot. And I just, I never understood it, because as a kid, I swear he was so different than I was. He had way less interest, but the ability was always there for whatever reason.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malachi and Michael started playing together more often, Michael using one-on-ones as lessons. Their games would take place in the Scott County gym, the Morenos\u2019 driveway, the neighbor\u2019s driveway, or even in the street. As Sarah put it, \u201cIf there was a basketball place, they were going to play basketball.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

On the court at Scott County, Michael led the Cardinals to three straight 11th Region titles and back-to-back state runner-up finishes. During his four years, Scott County went 132-18. The 6\u20197\u201d forward scored 2,383 career varsity points and broke a 40-year-old Scott County record with 1,317 career rebounds. He was named First Team All-State three times and was a finalist for the 2019 Kentucky Mr. Basketball award.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was awesome,\u201d Malachi said of watching Micahel become a Scott County legend. \u201cHe kind of paved the way for me to get into basketball, just being dragged around all his AAU tournaments and everything, so I think I was seeing how much fun he was having with the game, so I thought I would give it a try, too, and then I fell in love with it, and it\u2019s where I am today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Malachi Moreno on his brother Michael\u2019s unofficial visit to Kentucky in Feb. 2017 \u2013 Photos courtesy of Sarah Moreno<\/p>\n

When it came time for the next step, Michael had plenty of Division I offers to choose from, including one from Iowa. He eventually settled on a final three of Eastern Kentucky, Evansville, and Wofford. He, his parents, and his high school coach sat down at the dining room table and ranked the three by several factors, ranging from academics and athletics to his relationship with the coaching staff and even how nice the dorms were. When they added it all up, Eastern Kentucky won out, likely due to one significant variable: distance from home.<\/p>\n

Richmond is only 40 minutes away from Georgetown. For Michael, that was a comfort not only for himself but for the rest of his family, specifically Malachi, who was about to start middle school. Michael already liked Eastern Kentucky; the opportunity to continue to be there for his brother was too good to pass up. By doing so, Michael knew he could set another example for Malachi, a responsibility his parents impressed upon him at an early age.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are certain times you have to make a sacrifice. There are certain times you have to \u2013 you know, it\u2019s not uncool, it\u2019s not overly selfless, it\u2019s not wrong to make a decision based on somebody else. And so for him, I don\u2019t really want to live his life through a cell phone.\u00a0I don\u2019t want to live it through videos, through videos, through phone calls.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael\u2019s decision was music to Malachi\u2019s ears.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, he was very excited, because he was just really starting into basketball at that point, and so he knew, oh, yay, Michael\u2019s going to be around,\u201d Sarah recalled. \u201cYou could tell that it was almost like a sense of relief, like, I still have my big brother around to help me and guide me and show me the way, and show me the ropes and those kinds of things.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor him, I think he had a moment where it\u2019s like, okay, I can still lean on him, you know, he\u2019s not going away. He\u2019ll still be here if I need him,\u201d Michael said.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photos courtesy of Sarah Moreno<\/p>\n

Michael committed to EKU in May 2019. He got even more time with his family when the world shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic the next year. Michael stayed with his family in Georgetown, which led to more driveway battles with Malachi, who was growing like a weed. In the summer between seventh and eighth grade, a growth spurt shot Malachi from 6\u20194\u201d to 6\u201910\u201d. That\u2019s when their games took on a different tone.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere would be a lot of trash talk, be very, very confrontational, very physical, a lot of hard fouls,\u201d Malachi said. \u201cBut then it was all fun and games, so we were just having fun with it, and I think that kind of helped us fall in love with the game even more.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust being around him at that age, like you get to 13 years old, you\u2019re 6-8. I mean, nobody around you is that size, but he\u2019s able to make layups offhand. Most kids just try to shoot over everybody. He\u2019s trying to score around people. He\u2019s trying to work on his jump shot. He\u2019s trying to do all these things that typical 13-year-olds don\u2019t think about doing, and also, typical 6-8, 6-9, kids don\u2019t try to do either.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even though Malachi was now taller, Michael still had one advantage: a three-point shot. At Scott County, Michael was asked to play inside because of his height, but at EKU, he got to focus on his shooting. He had to use it on occasion to beat his younger, albeit taller, brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think a couple of times he got lucky that he can actually shoot the ball and I can\u2019t,\u201d Malachi said. \u201cSo, I think he would win off of a couple threes, and then he would be like, \u2018If I can\u2019t hit threes, I\u2019m not gonna beat you.\u2019 So I think that\u2019s kind of just been his realization.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo courtesy of Sarah Moreno<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo courtesy of Sarah Moreno<\/p>\n

Michael would come to Georgetown whenever he could for extra workouts with Malachi, and Malachi would stay with him at EKU, too. Michael was thriving in Richmond both on the court and off. He found his future wife, Jade. He was killing it in the classroom. He broke several program records, including three-pointers made (334) and games played (161). He is the only player in EKU history with 1,500 or more points and 900 or more rebounds. Seeing him reach new heights only made Malachi want to do it too.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a big shoes to fill, and me, I always like to achieve a challenge. Every year, I always set a goal for myself, and I try to go achieve that goal. So I think just having that goal of, oh, he was a legend, but I\u2019m gonna try to be better, and I\u2019m gonna try, and I\u2019m gonna work hard. I think that kind of just drove my passion for getting better, and gave me that work ethic that I needed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malachi Moreno could have easily followed in his brother\u2019s footsteps at Scott County; however, there was a new school in town. Great Crossing High School opened in 2019, just one mile down the road from Scott County High School. Malachi seized on the opportunity to chart his own path.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Michael] had an outstanding career at Scott County, and with Great Crossing being the brand new school, I kind of just wanted to go to Great Crossing and make a name for myself, put that school on the map. And then just, I got competitive, and I tried to beat all his records that he had at Scott County. I wanted to have them at Great Crossing.\u201d<\/p>\n

During Malachi\u2019s freshman season, his mother made him lasagna the night before a game. The next day, he recorded his first triple-double. A superstition was born from the remnants of Sarah\u2019s pantry: rotini noodles, tomato soup, and cheese, aka \u201cPoor Man\u2019s Lasagna.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wanted lasagna this one night, and I didn\u2019t have lasagna noodles. I didn\u2019t have the sauce that I needed. I didn\u2019t have anything that I needed other than I had cheese. We always have cheese in the house. I was like, Okay, what am I going to do? So, I kind of was just looking through the things that I had, and I was like, Okay, let me try this. Let me try this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Great Crossing\u2019s Malachi Moreno grabs a rebound against Lyon County in the first half of Monday\u2019s King of the Bluegrass in Fairdale. Dec. 19, 2022 \u2013 \u00a9 Matt Stone\/The Louisville Courier Journal \/ USA TODAY NETWORK<\/p>\n

Malachi hasn\u2019t played a game without it since, Sarah even making it in hotel rooms across the Midwest and South as Malachi played for Indiana Elite on the Adidas 3SSB circuit. One of the best batches was made in Atlanta in the summer after Malachi\u2019s freshman year at the Super Sophomore Camp. Most of the top prospects in the 2025 class were there, including Caleb Wilson, a 6\u20197\u201d, 180 lbs. power forward who had already had offers from high major programs. An Atlanta kid, Wilson was expected to own the spotlight at the event. Few people there even knew who Malachi was.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like, okay, well, this is the other biggest kid in the gym; let\u2019s see what happens,\u201d Michael said. \u201cAnd Malachi more than holds his own. He competes his butt off, and he walks away being one of the best players in the camp, one of the most talked about players in the camp. And it\u2019s like, okay, well, maybe he\u2019s got a shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Going toe-to-toe with one of the nation\u2019s top prospects lit a fire under Malachi. It also opened Michael\u2019s eyes to just how good his brother could be. It\u2019s one thing to be a successful in-state player, like Michael, but Malachi might be University of Kentucky good.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cJust his drive to want to compete, I think, was what kind of shifted that for me, and just being as big as he is. We all in our hearts want Kentucky kids to succeed, and we all want them to succeed at Kentucky if possible, but you have to still be realistic. There are tons of kids in the state who dream of playing here, but their games are better suited for other opportunities. And that\u2019s the nicest way to put it.\u201d<\/p>\n

In turn, Michael doubled down, too, helping his brother fine-tune his game, all while still pursuing his own career at Eastern Kentucky. When Malachi had a breakthrough summer on the 3SSB circuit after his sophomore year and big offers started rolling in, Michael kept his brother in check.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said, \u2018You really put yourself on the map, but now, it doesn\u2019t matter. You\u2019ve gotta continue to push yourself. You\u2019ve gotta continue to get better.\u2019 And I think that kind of just stuck with me, just because it was a crucial moment in the recruiting process for me, and having those words of affirmation that what I did this summer doesn\u2019t matter anymore, and what I have in front of me does. It just, it drove me to strive for what\u2019s in front of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Excited & humbled to receive an offer from the University of Kentucky! Thank you to Coach Calipari, Coach Antigua, Coach Martin, and the rest of the staff for believing in me! Go Cats! #BBN<\/a> \ud83d\udd35\u26aa\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/8xlrHqoNCA<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Malachi Moreno (@malachimoreno24) October 29, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n

A few months later, in October 2023, Malachi earned an offer from the University of Kentucky. Michael was by his side as John Calipari and his staff shared the good news.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was one of the coolest things ever, because the way they presented it was like, look, we don\u2019t do this much, and we don\u2019t do this much for underclassmen, but I think you have a chance to be really special. I think you\u2019re going to be a guy that develops into a long-term talent, and we want to be a part of that. You\u2019re the ninth guy that we had to offer in your class, and we only offer about 12. We want you to wear it like a badge of pride, a badge of honor, and just know that we want you.\u201d<\/p>\n

So did the next staff. When Mark Pope took over in April 2024, he made Malachi one of his top priorities on the recruiting trail. After graduating that May, Michael was preparing for a professional career. He had options in New Zealand, Colombia, Belgium, and even a G League tryout. None were major, but they provided a foot in the door and the chance to travel the world playing basketball. If he was going to go pro, this was his shot. Malachi pushed him to take it.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he were to go pro, he would miss my senior year, my final year of high school, so we definitely had talks about that, and I told him, \u2018This is your dream, so it\u2019s 100% up to you, and I\u2019m gonna support you 100%.\u2019 So, we just had talks about how we were gonna support each other no matter what the decision was.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo courtesy of Sarah Moreno<\/p>\n

Family won out again, Michael sacrificing whatever could have happened in his own basketball career to help Malachi chase his.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re getting to the point now where he\u2019s about to go to college. And so, it\u2019s like, I can either help him through this process, or I can go try and make, you know, $3,000 to $2,500 a month playing overseas. And to me, it was, I think it\u2019d be better for me long term to stay here and help him, because ultimately, my job is a job well done if he succeeds. That\u2019s what I feel I was made for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael accompanied Malachi on recruiting visits that summer. As a former player, he knew the process, but as his brother, he also acted as a sounding board, the two talking after each visit, sometimes for hours on end. Pope\u2019s pursuit of Malachi picked up. In June 2024, he re-offered Malachi a scholarship on an unofficial visit. Michael was there for that one, too, sitting with his brother and Mark Pope in the Rupp Arena locker room.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s like, \u2018I just want you to understand how special it is of a place to me, but how special it is that we get kids like you here,\u2019\u201d Michael recalled. \u201cAnd so it was very cool just for that to kind of unfold in the sense that it did and in the timeframe that it did, because in real time, [Malachi] was developing into a real talent, and then selfishly, as a brother, like for me, I get to kind of live through that in the same lens.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd so seeing that, it\u2019s like, oh, well, he basically just offered all of us, we\u2019re all going to be at Kentucky. Like, that\u2019s cool, you know? So it was an extremely cool moment when they became a real player in this.\u201d<\/p>\n

In August, with his senior year on the horizon, Malachi knew what he wanted to do. He asked his brother to come watch UK practice at Rupp Arena with him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that was my fourth practice that I went to that week, so it was kind of funny. Michael came to almost every single one of them with me. And I told him before, I said, \u2018I think I\u2019m gonna commit here today,\u2019 just because there was no other place I wanted to be. Kentucky was always my dream school.\u201d<\/p>\n

The brothers talked through the decision throughout practice, and afterward, Pope asked them to come down to center court.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe kind of just talked for a little bit. And then I told Pope and my brother that I was committing, and I wanted to make sure that my brother was the first one to know,\u201d Malachi said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just so proud of him because he\u2019s worked so hard,\u201d Michael said. \u201cOn a small scale, he walks around town, and people will tell him, oh, your brother is, you know, all these things, and how good he was. You\u2019ve got a chance to be good just like him. And he\u2019s like, man, I don\u2019t want that. Like, yeah, I know how good he was, but I want to make my own path. I want to be my own guy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Malachi@michaelmoreno30<\/p>\n

In his senior year, Malachi accomplished a few things his brother did not. He won Kentucky Mr. Basketball after leading Great Crossing to its first state title, scoring 24 points in the championship game at Rupp Arena. He was also named a McDonald\u2019s All-American and selected for the USA Basketball U19 National Team Training Camp along with Jasper Johnson and Mark Pope, an assistant at the camp. Malachi suffered a minor knee injury at the camp and decided to withdraw and return to Lexington to start his next chapter, the most exciting and difficult one yet.<\/p>\n

Kentucky\u2019s plan for Malachi\u2019s first year was pretty simple. Brandon Garrison was returning, expected to take another step forward as a junior, and Jayden Quaintance was transferring in, expected to make his debut midseason as he rehabbed from ACL surgery. Malachi was supposed to ease his way in, playing 12-15 minutes a game, during which he would grab four or five rebounds, block a shot or two, and make plays for his teammates. Anything he did on top of that would be icing on the cake. On one of the deepest teams in college basketball, Malachi was supposed to have the time and grace to develop.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI walked into the year extremely optimistic, saying, look, Malachi is going to get primed to really impact the game, but he\u2019s not going to have to do it at a great length yet, which, you never know about freshmen, right?\u201d Michael said. \u201cSome of them can carry a massive load on their shoulders, and some of them can help you in spurts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malachi was asked to do the former much sooner than expected. Garrison struggled to start the season, most notably in Kentucky\u2019s loss to Michigan State in the Champions Classic. That\u2019s also when Mo Dioubate injured his ankle, which would keep him off the court for almost a month. Malachi was playing well so far, scoring in double figures twice and getting a double-double in his second game, vs. Valparaiso. Mark Pope knew he had to make a change, pulling Malachi aside in the days before Kentucky\u2019s home game vs. Loyola Maryland on Nov. 21.<\/p>\n

\u201cCoach came to me a couple of days before, and was just like, \u2018I\u2019m about to throw you in the fire, and I know you can do it. And I\u2019m just, I\u2019m giving a lot of faith to you.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Malachi called his brother, and the two went to El Mariachi next to the Wildcat Coal Lodge to talk it over.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy brother told me, \u2018Now that you\u2019re getting the spot, you can\u2019t give it back, so you have to do everything in your power to keep that spot,\u2019\u201d Malachi recalled.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI said, you\u2019ve got to do exactly what\u2019s asked of you if you want to keep this,\u201d Michael said. \u201cI said, the way you show that you have that maturity to stick in the lineup is, you shift Coach\u2019s thinking from, \u2018Man, I got to have him on the floor,\u2019 to, \u2018Man, I can\u2019t take him off the floor. Even when he makes mistakes, I just can\u2019t take him off the floor.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Nov 21, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats center Malachi Moreno (24) shoots the ball against Loyola (MD) Greyhounds forward Jonas Sirtautas (7) during the second half at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

For the most part, that\u2019s what happened. In his first start, Malachi came up just shy of a double-double with 10 points, eight rebounds, four blocks, two assists, and a steal in 23 minutes. He\u2019s started all but one game since then, when Jayden Quaintance got the nod in Kentucky\u2019s loss to Missouri. Malachi and Michael talk every day, but the discussion they had before Kentucky started SEC play sticks out.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe told me, now you\u2019re getting into conference play, it\u2019s going to get a lot tougher, especially with how physical the SEC is. And he said, you just have to mentally and physically prepare yourself for what\u2019s to come. You just have to be ready. And I think just have that mentality of, just like, I have to mentally prepare myself for every game in conference play, because every conference game is a battle at the end of the day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malachi knows that whether or not he is ready for those SEC battles has been a debate among fans.<\/p>\n

\u201cKind of that I\u2019m weak, and I\u2019m soft, and that I need to get stronger, or I\u2019ve got soft hands or something like that,\u201d he said of the biggest criticism he\u2019s seen of his game. \u201cAnd I kind of just \u2013 I take that, I rub it off my shoulder, and then I move on to the next day. Because, I mean, at the end of the day, people on the outside, they can say what they want, but I know who I am. I know what I do, and I\u2019m here to win.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malachi has proven that on many occasions, most memorably at LSU when he hit a game-winner. It\u2019s one of the highlights of the season \u2013 and Michael almost missed it. He was flying back from a work trip in Texas. Luckily, the plane had wifi, so he could stream the game on his phone, but when Kentucky got down 18 to the Tigers, he couldn\u2019t handle it anymore and switched to something else. The score kept updating at the top of his phone.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see the score starts to change, and they start to come back. I\u2019m like, Ah, he\u2019s going to get upset. I need to turn to see if he\u2019s part of this. Then he picks up his fourth foul. And I\u2019m like, great, so now I just have to watch this and suffer knowing that there\u2019s nothing I can tell him other than, man, stay out of foul trouble. Well, then he gets back in the game, and they start chipping away and chipping away and chipping away.\u201d<\/p>\n

By the time Collin Chandler went to inbound the ball down one with 1.6 seconds left, the plane had landed and was taxiing to the gate.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Chandler] threw it to Malachi. I was like, Ah, man, this cannot be what they drew up. And he catches it, and I\u2019m sitting there, and my phone is, I mean, literally, inches from my face.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe flight had landed. We\u2019re on the runway, about to go up to the gate. The shot goes in, I jump up, I punch a seat in front of me, and the guy in front of me is like, \u2018Dude, what are you doing?\u2019 And I\u2019m like, \u2018I\u2019m sorry. I\u2019m sorry.\u2019 I\u2019m trying to whisper, trying to be quiet. \u2018My brother just hit a shot! Like, this is crazy. I\u2019m so sorry!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

As Michael showed the man in front of him the clip, texts and phone calls started flooding in. He was shaking with excitement when he walked off the plane, texting his brother in all caps. Malachi called him as soon as he was done with his media obligations.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was hyped,\u201d Malachi said. \u201cHe answered the phone, yelling, screaming. He was just like, \u2018That was a really good shot!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Malachi was excited, too, but what he said next caught Michael off guard.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said, \u2018I just want to get over, though. I\u2019m ready to play Tennessee.\u2019 And I\u2019m like, didn\u2019t you just hit the biggest shot of your life? What are you talking about, play Tennessee? Go home. Go to bed, you know. Text people back, watch the video again. Like, enjoy this. And he\u2019s like, \u2018Man, I\u2019m ready to play Tennessee. I\u2019ve been wanting to play them for a while.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Growing up as a Kentucky fan, Malachi\u2019s dislike for Tennessee is baked in; however, he also viewed the game in Knoxville as a chance to prove himself. The Volunteers have a huge frontline, centered by 6\u201911\u201d 240 lbs. Felix Okpara. Even though Kentucky battled back from 17 points down to win that game, Malachi got pushed around in the post, especially early on. He finished with three points, six rebounds, and four blocks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir real physical front line, I hadn\u2019t seen that kind of physicality before, so I think that was kind of just my \u2018Welcome to SEC\u2019 moment. And just because that arena was sold out, it was loud, energetic, and kind of hard to hear.\u201d<\/p>\n

The game was so intense that Malachi didn\u2019t even notice the elbow he took to the face that gave him a black eye.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt happened at some point in the second half, but I came over to the bench, and they were, like, your eye swelling up. I said, What? Like, my adrenaline was so high that I didn\u2019t feel my eye swelling up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malachi helped lead Kentucky\u2019s comeback in the rematch at Rupp, playing with extra physicality against Tennessee\u2019s bigs, even hitting them with a \u201ctoo small\u201d gesture after bullying his way to the basket on back-to-back possessions. He tallied 10 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in 27 minutes in the 74-71 win, which completed the sweep.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHow physical was Malachi offensively in the post tonight?\u201d Pope said that night. \u201cWe could have milked him a lot more. He was just a monster. He was so determined in the post offensively.\u201d<\/p>\n

After Kentucky\u2019s wins over South Carolina and Vanderbilt, Malachi won his first SEC Freshman of the Week award. He was named to the SEC All-Freshman team once the regular season was over. The Wildcats are 10-1 in games in which Malachi scores 10 or more points. In the regular season, he averaged 8.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game, while shooting a team-best 58.7% from the field.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Malachi ranks 12th in program history in rebounds by a freshman (216), 12th in blocks (53), and 15th in field-goal percentage (58.3%). If you narrow the pool to freshmen from Kentucky, he\u2019s even higher, first in blocked shots and rebounds; Mark Pope knows how much that latter part matters.<\/p>\n

\u201cListen, guys, this Malachi Moreno is really special,\u201d Pope said after Kentucky\u2019s win over Vanderbilt on Feb. 28. \u201cHe\u2019s Kentucky, born and raised, and every time there\u2019s been a challenge as a young freshman big, which is really hard to do, every time there\u2019s been a challenge where he hasn\u2019t felt good about his performance, and he\u2019s had a chance to go respond, he\u2019s responded.\u201d<\/p>\n

For every thrilling high in Malachi\u2019s freshman season, there has been an equally depressing low. Kentucky has dealt with injuries all year, playing just three games at full health. Mark Pope built his second team with a reported $22 million price tag, likening the squad to a Ferrari before the season began. The Cats have been a clunker on more than one occasion, drawing the ire of a weary fanbase. When Kentucky trailed Gonzaga by 13 at halftime in a neutral-site game in Nashville in December, those frustrations boiled over, boos raining down from the overwhelmingly pro-UK crowd. It was surreal, even for Michael, who grew up in Kentucky and has followed the program his whole life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never been a part of something like that. I don\u2019t know if I\u2019ll ever be a part of something like that again. It hurt. It hurt me, just as a sibling, I know a lot of the other family members were just like, Man, like this is bad. This is unfortunate. And so, some of those lows have been hard to navigate.\u201d<\/p>\n

The criticism stings, and try as the family might, it is impossible to ignore. Sarah is the most susceptible, screenshotting the most ridiculous remarks on social media to stew over. She tries not to bring them up when Malachi comes home each week to pick up his pregame lasagna \u2013 still a very real tradition. Having grown up as Michael Moreno\u2019s little brother and the next big thing in Georgetown, Malachi has always known the weight of expectations. Being the best Kentucky kid on a struggling Kentucky Basketball team is something different altogether.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cGetting on social media after the games, it\u2019s like, we need to go at Malachi now, because, like, we expect so much of him,\u201d Michael says of criticism from fans. \u201cAnd for me, it\u2019s a blessing and a curse, because you don\u2019t want to read that, but at the same time, they expect so much of him that they are going to say a lot of things that really don\u2019t probably need to be said.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Malachi\u2019s ability to live in the moment has really helped him be able to handle all of the expectations, just because he literally \u2013 I mean, they\u2019re the ones calming me down when I read nasty things on social media,\u201d Sarah said. \u201cHe\u2019s like, \u2018Mom, who cares?\u2019 And Michael\u2019s like, \u2018Okay, mom, don\u2019t [respond]\u2019 \u2013 I don\u2019t respond to anything. I read it all, but I don\u2019t respond to anything because there\u2019s no reason to do that. But Malachi literally, it\u2019s just like water off a duck\u2019s back. And I think his personality allows for that, which is excellent in the light that he\u2019s been put into.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe weight\u2019s there, but at the end of the day, you can\u2019t really let it hang on your shoulders,\u201d Malachi said. \u201cYou kind of just have to let it drop, because you\u2019ve got to focus on the moment. You\u2019ve got to focus on the present.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo by UK Athletics, Courtesy Sarah Moreno<\/p>\n

Having Michael by his side helps. The two talk daily, Michael offering his feedback on how the team can improve and serving as a filter when things get really bad.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a kid who kind of just takes it in stride, at least when I talk to him. And he\u2019s told me on multiple occasions, like, look, I\u2019m going to hear a lot of this stuff anyway, so I\u2019d rather hear it first from you, knowing that it\u2019s coming from a good place, rather than just being angry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael, a self-proclaimed hoops junkie, always tailors his input to the team, not the individual. If Malachi makes a mistake in a game, Michael will frame it as something he can fix to help his teammates next time. They spend hours talking about the team and its potential. There are times it\u2019s only Michael talking, his little brother content to just listen.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes he\u2019ll text me before and say, \u2018Hey, I\u2019m not going to say anything, but I am going to call you. So can you just talk?\u2019 And I\u2019m like, \u2018All right, cool, no problem.\u2019 I can talk tons, trust me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust having him as the mentor, I think, has 100% put Malachi from here all the way to up here in leaps and bounds, even over others, just because they don\u2019t have a Michael,\u201d Sarah said.<\/p>\n

Kentucky\u2019s regular season was a disappointment, but the postseason is here, bringing with it a fresh start. After making it to the SEC Tournament quarterfinals, the Cats begin their NCAA Tournament run this week. Malachi can\u2019t wait, not too far removed from the kid who used to fill out brackets for almost every scenario. Naturally, there was always one with Kentucky winning it all.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very excited. Hopefully, we get into March Madness. It will be my first ever one. I think it\u2019ll be crazy when I step out of that court for the first time in March Madness because I mean, I grew up as a kid watching the tournament. I remember I\u2019d make all these brackets and put them in these little drawings with my friends, and you\u2019d get a prize if you won. So I think just now I get to be a part of that; I think it\u2019s just a dream come true.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

With March comes mojo. You\u2019ll be happy to learn there\u2019s a postseason plan for the lasagna. The Morenos booked their hotel in Nashville with it in mind, finding a room with a kitchenette and oven. They\u2019ll do the same for the NCAA Tournament. Come hell or high water, Kentucky\u2019s Garfield will feast.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fans may have spotted some of Malachi\u2019s other superstitions throughout the season. Right before Kentucky\u2019s win over Mississippi State on Jan. 10, he noticed a black mark on the white shirt he wears under his jersey during home games. It had been there since the Missouri game, but the managers couldn\u2019t get the stain out, and it was too late to find a new one. Malachi scored a career-high 17 points in the 92-68 win over the Bulldogs.<\/p>\n

\"\"Kentucky Wildcats center Malachi Moreno (24) looks to pass during the college basketball game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky. Photo by Crawford Ifland, Kentucky Sports Radio\/On3<\/p>\n

\u201cI was like, maybe I\u2019ll keep wearing the shirt for now. And then we won five in a row. And I was like, Yeah, I\u2019m definitely gonna keep wearing the shirt. And then just one game, I just decided to change it because the stain started fading away. And I was like, well, there it goes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s his pregame playlist. Malachi listens to the same 10 songs as he\u2019s warming up, in order. He\u2019s timed it so he doesn\u2019t have to leave the court until the playlist is over. He\u2019s the first player on the court for warmups at almost every home game, drinking in the alone time at Rupp Arena.<\/p>\n

\u201cUsually, the Blue Coats are saying, \u2018Hey, he was the first one out here again,\u2019\u201d Sarah said. \u201cI\u2019m like, Ah, it sounds like him, but that\u2019s kind of his thing. He has to get out there, do his thing, go sit for a few minutes and kind of just take it all in, and then he\u2019s ready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

When all is said and done, Malachi will consider his first year in Lexington a success, and the obstacles he\u2019s faced a critical part of what\u2019s next.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s kind of exceeded all my expectations, really. I think every team has their highs and their lows, and right now we\u2019re facing adversity, but I think just being able to fight through that adversity \u2013 I think I\u2019ve never been part of a team that\u2019s had to fight so much adversity, you know, with injuries and all these different games coming our way.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI think just having this kind of season, I think it\u2019s really just showing me that you can work with what you have, and you just have to want it more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malachi\u2019s freshman season has piqued the interest of NBA scouts. He\u2019ll likely test the NBA Draft waters to see the best ways to improve his game to achieve his dream of playing professionally. He and Michael already have a list of goals in mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably just getting stronger and a little more explosive off the bounce,\u201d Malachi said. \u201cI feel like those are kind of just two keys that have kind of kept me back a little bit. And I think just if I can get those better, I think my game will shoot to another level.\u201d<\/p>\n

Speaking of shooting, Malachi\u2019s form isn\u2019t bad. In today\u2019s NBA, big men who can hit threes are becoming the norm. Michael isn\u2019t the only good shooter in the family. Their father, Enelio, and uncle were snipers as well. Michael is excited to see Malachi add a three-point shot to his arsenal \u2013 but only when he has the confidence to shoot it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s just building confidence in that he\u2019s seen a lot of them go in. I mean, he shot a ton of them in the Craft Center. He shot a ton of them at Rupp. He shot a ton in high school.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think part of that is expanding into the realm of, hey, if I\u2019m going to lead the break, if I\u2019m going to grab it off the rim, who says I don\u2019t pass it, it comes back to me, and I shoot the three. I mean, if I can hit it, why wouldn\u2019t I shoot it?\u201d<\/p>\n

The transfer portal will open soon; if he chose to enter it, Malachi would be a hot commodity, likely one of the top portal prospects in the country. He came to Kentucky with a certain role and a corresponding NIL deal in place; after exceeding that role, he is worth much more.<\/p>\n

For what it\u2019s worth, Kentucky has made it clear they don\u2019t want Malachi to go anywhere. Even early in the season when he was thrown into the fire, Pope met with Malachi and his family to reassure them that they are putting all their chips in on year two with him in Kentucky blue.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said the good thing about Malachi is, throughout this entire process, there\u2019s going to be a clear path as to where he\u2019s going to need to go next, as far as testing the waters, as far as staying here and grinding it out, whatever it may be, so there\u2019s going to be a clear path,\u201d Michael said. \u201cSo, understanding that you have not only a purpose here, but you have an opportunity to be one of the special ones that we have.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Dec 23, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope talks with center Malachi Moreno (24) during the second half against the Bellarmine Knights at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

As Pope embarks on what will be a pivotal offseason and a make-or-break third season himself, it\u2019s something he may be banking on.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means a lot for people to see a Kentucky kid, because it keeps the hope alive in a lot of young kids, right?\u201d Michael said. \u201cIt keeps the hope alive in a lot of fans, young and old, that we can do this. We have something to be proud of here. So just that role, not as a program face, but just as a leader, one of the notables, I think that\u2019s kind of where I expect him to really thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s something that Malachi doesn\u2019t take lightly, even saying at his commitment ceremony at Great Crossing that he was coming to Kentucky to hang banners. Afterward, Michael told him that those were high expectations to set. It\u2019s unlikely this year\u2019s team will reach them, but the adversity they faced has shown Malachi what it will take.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, we want to make a leap. Instead of going into that sophomore slump, we want to make a leap in terms of impact, in terms of performance, in terms of winning. We want the expectation to maintain that.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to compete for SEC championships, we\u2019re going to go back to the Final Four. Like, you want that as a player, but in his eyes, he wants to be responsible. It\u2019s not just, hey, I\u2019m on a team that went to the Final Four. It\u2019s like, me and the guys, we took this group to the Final Four. That\u2019s what he wants.\u201d<\/p>\n

There is plenty of work to be done; Michael will be by Malachi\u2019s side for it all. He admits there are days when he wakes up and wishes he were still playing; however, he has no regrets in putting aside his dreams to push his brother toward his.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I feel myself starting to get into that time of reminiscing, I think about all that has happened because of the decision that I made. Everything happens for a reason. God takes us on the journeys that he wants us to go on.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI like to tell people that when God does these things, we never understand in the moment, but those moments of clarity that everybody has, like, oh, okay, that\u2019s why it worked out that way. That\u2019s the God nudge that you\u2019re getting. He\u2019s giving you a nudge, saying, Hey, see, I told you that you should have trusted me. See, I told you it was gonna work out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael\u2019s sacrifice is just more fuel for Malachi, who is determined not to let it go to waste.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means a lot. Just seeing him kind of give up his own dream to help me achieve mine, it only makes me want to work harder so I can someday repay the favor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo courtesy of Sarah Moreno<\/p>\n

There is still one area in which Michael has bragging rights. With all of the focus on the season, there hasn\u2019t been much time for one-on-one, but the future battle is always brewing; Malachi is confident it will be the one he finally wins.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think maybe the next time we play, I\u2019ll get him,\u201d Malachi said. \u201cI think I just needed a year, just to put on some muscle, a little bit. I think I can win now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m still the champ right now,\u201d Michael said. \u201cHe can\u2019t take that from me. And part of being a champion is you kind of dictate how the rest of the sequence goes. Normally, the winner gets a ball. Well, I just haven\u2019t cashed in yet. I\u2019m waiting for the opportunity to cash in and take the time to play him again.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m thinking, I\u2019m going to come over here right after practice one day, lace up, stretch out, and then say, hey, it\u2019s time to play. But no, for him, he really wants to beat me.\u201d<\/p>\n

To this point, that is what Michael has banked on to push his little brother harder. As Malachi gets bigger and stronger, Michael knows that when the two take the court next, his time as the champ could be up.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it comes down to that, I want to always have the last laugh. I can\u2019t let him have that yet. It\u2019s the last thing I\u2019m holding on to. It\u2019s my last bit of glory. So he\u2019s very, very close to completely wiping that away from me.\u201d<\/p>\n

If or when that happens, their roles will be reversed in more ways than one. Given all they\u2019ve gone through, that\u2019s one reason Michael may let the game finally take place.<\/p>\n

\u201cI tell people all the time, he spent the first 16 years of his life as Michael\u2019s little brother; that\u2019s what a lot of people referred to him as. And now, for the rest of my life, I get to be Malachi\u2019s big brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, it\u2019s the coolest thing, getting to share these moments with him, because he not only has earned this, but he wants to share this with his family and with people, because it means that much to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watch this feature on the KSR YouTube Channel<\/p>\n

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