Dick Vitale has tabbed one Kentucky Wildcat a breakout star to watch in college basketball

Mark Pope had a lot of big wins this offseason, and one of these wins was getting Malachi Moreno back out of the NBA Draft. When the seven-footer Moreno declared for the NBA Draft, no Kentucky fan expected him to keep his name in the NBA Draft, but things heated up for the Kentucky native.

Moreno jumped into the first round of a few mock drafts, and this had some fans worried that he might keep his name in the draft, but he pulled his name out of the draft and returned for another season in Lexington. Not many expected Moreno to play much last season for the Wildcats, but early-season struggles for Brandon Garrison and the injury situation with Jayden Quaintance led to Moreno being the guy at the five.

Mar 7, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats center Malachi Moreno (24) passes the ball during the first half against the Florida Gators at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As a true freshman, Moreno put up some very impressive numbers, averaging 7.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. There is plenty for Moreno to work on this offseason, but fans are very excited to see what he is going to do with another year in the Pope system. If the physicality is better for Moreno this season, down low, he is going to be a monster for the Wildcats.

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Dick Vitale had an ESPN article where he predicted some of the top breakout candidates in college basketball, and Moreno was one of the names he listed. Moreno is a player that the college basketball legend Vitale is very high on, and there are many more who agree, especially in Lexington.

Feb 28, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats center Malachi Moreno (24) celebrates from the bench during the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One reason that many are high on Moreno is his ability to pass the…

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Publish date : 2026-09-07 17:38:00

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