The UNC basketball staff contacted junior Malachi Moreno of Great Crossing (Ky.) in late January. The Tar Heels then followed up on that by sending assistant Sean May to watch the 7-foot-1, 220-pound acclaimed center in play on Tuesday night, as Rivals’ David Sisk reported.
It’s reasonable to say that May was impressed by Moreno, a four-star prospect who ranks No. 35 overall on the 247Sports 2025 Composite and possesses remarkable quickness and instincts for his stature.
After all, he tallied 26 points on 13-for-15 shooting from the field, adding 11 rebounds across 27 minutes in Great Crossing’s 72-49 home win over Walton-Verona.
Malachi Moreno holds roughly two dozen offers, highlighted by the one from a blueblood recruiting juggernaut in home-state hopeful Kentucky. Meanwhile, he has already visited several suitors, including the Wildcats, and he’s said in recent interviews that a decision could come as early as June.
So, if UNC basketball head coach Hubert Davis and his crew hope to be in the mix, they’ll likely need to add Moreno to their 2025 wishlist sooner rather than later.
Thus far, the Tar Heels have officially targeted nine current high school juniors. They’re all five-star talents boasting top-15 composite rankings.
But it’s worth noting that UNC’s offer sheet, while loaded with power forwards, does not yet show a center. Perhaps that won’t be the case for long, considering the Moreno show that May witnessed this week.
