We have officially entered mock draft SZN \u2014 and an important name continues to pop up. <\/p>\n
The latest comes from Kevin O\u2019Connor of Yahoo Sports, who released his updated 2026 NBA mock draft on Friday<\/a>. A highly detailed guide that includes all 60 picks, O\u2019Connor provided team fits, attributes, and player comparisons for every single selection. Three Kentucky players made his list, too. <\/p>\n The one the Big Blue Nation cares most about, though, is Malachi Moreno<\/a>. The rising sophomore is coming off an All-SEC Freshman campaign with the Wildcats in 2025-26. He\u2019s currently going through the pre-draft process and will participate in the Draft Combine, which runs from May 10-17 in Chicago. He has until May 27 at 11:59 p.m. ET to either keep his name in the draft pool or return to UK. The expectation has always been that he\u2019ll go with the latter, but all eyes will be on him over the coming weeks as he goes through this process. <\/p>\n O\u2019Connor has Moreno going to the New York Knicks with the 24th pick, comparing the Georgetown native to the likes of Jarrett Allen and Cody Zeller. This is the first mock from a notable name to project Moreno, who worked out for the Knicks a few days ago, as a first-round pick. Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report<\/a> slotted Moreno at 31st (the first pick of the second round) in his newest mock earlier this week. <\/p>\n Here is what O\u2019Connor had to say about Moreno and his potential fit with the Knicks. <\/p>\n \u201cMoreno worked out for the Knicks this week, which is quite an intriguing storyline to monitor since he\u2019s only testing the draft waters,\u201d O\u2019Connor wrote. \u201cBut he\u2019s also a hot name since he has an NBA frame at only 19 years old: 7-feet, 250 pounds. He does the baseline things as a big man with above-the-rim finishing, hard-nosed rebounding, and stout rim protection. He also adds a layer as a passer, showing an advanced feel for the game and for manipulating defenders. It\u2019s important for him to improve his touch as a finisher and as a shooter, but he\u2019s in a good place for his age with skills that should be translatable to the next level. <\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a strong chance that he works his way into the first round, and with Mitchell Robinson entering free agency this summer it would make sense for the Knicks to find a replacement.\u201d<\/p>\n Whether or not you agree with O\u2019Connor\u2019s assessment of Moreno is another conversation. The notable part is his belief that Moreno is trending upward on Big Boards. O\u2019Connor isn\u2019t the first draft reporter to say something similar. But it does seem odd that the Knicks would look to replace Mitchell Robinson, a much more athletic center than Moreno, with a teenager while trying to compete for a championship. That part doesn\u2019t quite pass the smell test. <\/p>\n Regardless, the expectation remains that Moreno will return to Kentucky. Keep in mind that a return deal is already in place<\/a>. Head coach Mark Pope<\/a> even said publicly this week in one of his fan Q&A videos that he expects his big man back in Lexington for the 2026-27 season. <\/p>\n \u201cMalachi Moreno was the number one priority for us going into this portal season,\u201d Pope said<\/a>. \u201cWe think that he\u2019s going to be the best center in all of college basketball next year here at Kentucky.\u201d<\/p>\n While that\u2019s reassuring to hear, everyone will be waiting on pins and needles for Moreno to officially announce his return to Kentucky. There are still 19 more days until the withdrawal deadline. <\/p>\n What about Oweh and Quaintance?<\/p>\n