2025 Top 30 In-State Big Man Commits to Kentucky

Kentucky now has its first commitment in the class of 2025. On Friday, 2025 in-state big man Malachi Moreno committed to Kentucky, he announced on social media and in a commitment ceremony at his high school. Moreno marks the first commitment for Kentucky in 2025 as well as Mark Pope's first major get on the recruiting trail.

Moreno, a 6-11 230 lb. big man out of Georgetown, KY, is ranked as the 26th overall player in his class, 2nd-best Center, and best in the state of Kentucky in 247 Sports' Composite rankings. A major get to start Mark Pope's first full recruiting cycle at Kentucky. Moreno chose the Wildcats over the likes of Indiana, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Louisville, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Iowa. Kentucky and Indiana were seen as the clear frontrunners down the stretch of the recruitment, but the Wildcats had much of the momentum.

The four-star big man talked about his decision to commit to Mark Pope and Kentucky in an interview with 247 Sports shortly after his commitment. "Growing up in Kentucky, you always want to put on that Kentucky uniform, so being able to go there and wear Kentucky across my chest means the world to me," he said. Another Kentucky target, Jasper Johnson, grew up in Kentucky and is set to announce his decision soon, and Malachi had a message for him. "You know where home's at," he said in his announcement.

247 Sports' Adam Finkelstein had this to say about Moreno's game. "Moreno is a skilled big with significant size," he said. "He measures in at just a shade under seven-feet (6’10.5” without shoes), and while he doesn’t have much additional length (7’1” wingspan), he’s coordinated and balanced for his size, with a sturdy base. He has good hands, footwork, and keeps making consistent strides with both his physical strength and athleticism. What differentiates Moreno from any other top big in the class is his ability to be efficient offensively in so many spots on the floor and thus within various offensive actions."

Fans are going to love this in-state talent. Mark Pope got his first big recruiting commitment, and it's the best player in the state at that. Welcome to the Big Blue Nation, Malachi!