High school career
Moreno attended Great Crossing High School in Georgetown, Kentucky, where he is currently a 4-star center. As a freshman at Great Crossing in 2022, he averaged 11.9 points per game to go along with 12 rebounds per game in 34 games played. He improved in his sophomore year, bumping up his points per game to 14.8. As a senior in his final year at Great Crossing, he averaged 21.5 points per game to go along with 14.9 rebounds per game, leading Great Crossing to its first-ever KHSAA title in program history. He was named the KHSAA Sweet 16 MVP. [1] for his efforts.
In January 2025, Moreno was named a McDonald's All-American [2] playing for Team East.
Recruiting
Moreno was a consensus four-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2025 class, according to major recruiting services. [3] [4] On August 16, 2024, he committed to playing college basketball for Kentucky over offers from Indiana, Ohio State, and North Carolina. Coach Mark Pope stated that Moreno is an "elite-level passer with incredible tracking vision," and that "He has a ferocity around the rim in terms of ball protection and he is willing to engage physically." [5]
| Name | Hometown | School | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malachi Moreno C | Georgetown, KY | Great Crossing (KY) | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) | 230 lb (100 kg) | Aug 16, 2024 | |
Recruit ratings: Rivals:  247Sports: On3: ESPN: (88) | ||||||
| Overall recruit ranking: Rivals: 27 247Sports: 27 On3: 24 ESPN: 26 | ||||||
Sources:
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