Does the Kentucky big have genuine first-round interest, or is this just leveraging for NIL?.
When Moreno first declared for the NBA Draft and accepted his invite to the NBA Combine, the reaction around Kentucky was fairly straightforward: most analysts expected it to be a test-the-waters move, with an eventual return to Lexington still the most likely outcome.
That early assumption was based on a few key factors:
Moreno entered the process as a freshman center still developing his offensive game, and while his size, hands, and defensive instincts have drawn real NBA interest, he was generally viewed as more of a projected second-round or fringe first-round prospect rather than a guaranteed pick. Because of that, many believed the safer path was to return to Kentucky, expand his role, and improve his draft stock for a stronger position in 2027.
Even as Combine week progressed, that “return expectation” never fully disappeared. CBS Sports, in particular, has continued to lean that way despite scattered reports of rising interest from teams in the late first-round range. Scouts have noted Moreno’s physical tools and rim protection, but also pointed out that his limited scoring production and uneven offensive polish still separate him from surefire first-round big men in this class.
There were also small signals during the Combine that fueled both sides of the debate. Moreno’s decision to avoid 5-on-5 scrimmages was widely interpreted as controlled positioning by his camp—either protecting a solid draft grade or preventing any risk of sliding. At the same time, analysts noted that several higher-profile bigs did play in scrimmages, which only added to the uncertainty about where Moreno truly stands.
Another major factor shaping CBS’s outlook is the structure of his situation at Kentucky. With a defined role waiting for him, strong development upside, and significant NIL value already in place, returning to college remains a very realistic—and in CBS’s view, slightly more likely—option.
So while NBA feedback has made the decision more complicated than originally expected, the core message from CBS hasn’t really changed:
Moreno has created legitimate draft intrigue, but **most evaluators still expect him to withdraw and return to Kentucky for another season of development.
But then, reports began circulating that Moreno was getting really good feedback from teams who were picking in the middle and back end of the first round. A good workout with the New York Knicks had a lot of people questioning if Moreno would be coming back to Kentucky after all.
It’s not that Malachi isn’t talented or that he doesn’t have the potential to be great; he is very talented and holds a lot of potential. It’s just that this year’s draft class is viewed as one of the best ones in a really long time. You have guys like Henri Veesaar being projected as the 25th pick, and he averaged 17 and 8 while shooting 42% from deep.
Malachi finished with 7 points and 6 rebounds. Both are 7 feet tall, so you can see why it would be hard to believe that Malachi would be sneaking into that top 25 range.
CBS wasn’t buying it either.
Speaking of stock that could impact a stay-or-go decision, there were reports this week that Kentucky’s Malachi Moreno had attracted attention from teams in the mid to late first round. While that certainly may be true, many of those teams also hold second-round picks, and many of the scouts I spoke to expressed skepticism that Moreno would crack the first round this year.Instead, those reports could be viewed as negotiating leverage with Kentucky in order to command the highest possible valuation for Moreno’s return to college and Lexington. The fact that Moreno chose not to play five-on-five, while higher-ranked bigs like Rueben Chinyelu, Tarris Reed, and Flory Bidunga all opted in, was also being viewed as an indication that Moreno’s representation was being very deliberate about controlling how the big man was being perceived. Ultimately, most still expect him to return to school.
