For players currently testing the NBA Draft waters while preserving their collegiate eligibility, the deadline to make a final decision is quickly approaching. Prospects must either withdraw from the NBA Draft and return to school or remain in the draft pool by May 27 — which is now just three weeks away. As that date nears, players across the country will continue participating in team workouts, combine scrimmages, and meetings with NBA organizations before deciding whether to begin their professional careers or head back to college for another season.
Malachi Moreno is currently testing the NBA Draft waters, something many expected him to do this spring after showing flashes of potential during his freshman season at Kentucky. While the general belief remains that Moreno will ultimately return to the Kentucky Wildcats for the 2026-27 season, a final decision has not yet been made. As he continues going through the pre-draft process and participating in workouts with NBA teams, Moreno still has time to evaluate his stock before the May 27 withdrawal deadline for players wishing to retain their college eligibility.
Recently, Malachi Moreno appeared in an NBA mock draft as an early second-round selection, with the New York Knicks projected to take the Kentucky big man with the No. 31 overall pick. That projection only added more intrigue to Moreno’s pre-draft process as he continues evaluating whether to remain in the draft or return to college basketball for another season.
Moreno also took another important step in that process on Tuesday when he participated in a pre-draft workout with the Knicks. According to Adam Zagoria, Moreno was among a group of prospects working out for New York, including Michigan guard Elliot Cadeau. Cadeau is coming off a national championship season and is viewed as one of the more intriguing guards in this draft cycle, giving Moreno the opportunity to compete alongside and against high-level talent in front of NBA evaluators.
With the draft withdrawal deadline approaching on May 27, Moreno continues to gather feedback from NBA teams while weighing his future. Although many still expect him to return to the Kentucky Wildcats for the 2026-27 season, workouts like this one with the Knicks show that NBA organizations are seriously evaluating his long-term potential.
Moreno is coming off a strong freshman season at Kentucky, starting 30 of the Wildcats’ 36 games. He averaged 7.8 points and 6.3 rebounds, while also blocking 53 shots and dishing out 64 assists.
In addition, Malachi Moreno shot an efficient 58.2 percent from the field and 69.8 percent from the free-throw line during his freshman campaign. While his overall numbers were solid, one of the defining moments of his season came in mid-January at LSU, when Moreno delivered a dramatic buzzer-beater that many believe helped save Kentucky’s season from spiraling early in SEC play.
That clutch moment became a turning point for the Kentucky Wildcats, who eventually regrouped and made a deep postseason push. Moreno’s steady development throughout the year, combined with his defensive presence and efficiency around the basket, ultimately earned him a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team and helped solidify him as one of Kentucky’s most promising young players heading into the future
Before arriving at Kentucky, Malachi Moreno put together a decorated high school career at Great Crossing High School. As a senior, the talented big man earned McDonald’s All-American honors and was also named Kentucky Mr. Basketball, solidifying his status as one of the top players in the state and one of the premier frontcourt prospects in the country.
Moreno helped turn Great Crossing into one of Kentucky’s top high school programs and built a reputation as a skilled and fundamentally sound seven-footer with strong defensive instincts, touch around the basket, and passing ability. Those accomplishments ultimately made him one of the crown jewels of Kentucky’s recruiting class and a highly anticipated addition to the Kentucky Wildcats roster.
