Malachi Moreno is one of the three Wildcats going through the motions of the 2026 NBA Draft Combine, currently in Chicago, receiving feedback from NBA organizations on where they individually stand at the moment for the draft. While the other two, Otega Oweh (no eligibility left) and Jayden Quaintance (staying in the draft), left out the chance of a potential return back to college, Malachi still has that option firmly on the table.
Shortly after the NCAA Tournament concluded in early April, Malachi put out his offseason statement to BBN announcing his plans. He mentioned that if he’s playing college basketball in 2026-27, it’ll be at Kentucky and nowhere else, as he planned to enter the NBA Draft and still maintain his college eligibility.
“After a lot of prayer, and after sitting down with my family and the people I trust most, I’ve decided to take the next step in chasing my dream. I will be entering the 2026 NBA Draft while maintaining my college eligibility. I’m looking forward to learning through this process, competing, and continuing to develop my game as I evaluate what’s best for my future. Representing this state and wearing Kentucky across my chest is something I’ve never taken for granted.
If I’m back in college next season, it’ll be right here with Big Blue Nation.”
While at first it was believed to be that he was a strong return back to Kentucky this summer and just genuinely receiving feedback before owning a breakout sophomore season campaign in Lexington, it seems like publicly now that conversations with he and the NBA are heating up and becoming more and more real on taking him away from Kentucky by staying in the draft to get selected by a team this summer. He’s worked out with the New York Knicks already, which seemed to have gone great by most reports, and has also reportedly met with the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, and Portland Trail Blazers.
He’s currently projected to be late first round or early second round, but he is still getting a feel from different franchises that are interested in him.
He was interviewed at the combine on May 13th for a check-in on how things are going for him and where things stand for him at this moment.
“This is my dream to be in the NBA, so I am looking at it with my best foot forward… Obviously I left the option on the table to go back to college if I could, but right now, all that’s leading into this decision is how the next couple of weeks go. I know I have until the 27th (May) to make that decision…”
He’s right. While the NBA Draft Combine officially ends on May 17th, he will have until May 27th at 11:59 PM ET to either withdraw from the draft and return to Kentucky, or to stay in.
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