Malachi Moreno Tabbed to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Preseason Watch List
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky sophomore center Malachi Moreno has received yet another preseason honor as he was one of 20 players nationally tabbed to the 2026-27 Naismith Starting 5 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Top 20 Preseason Watch List, it was announced Friday by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
The prestigious award has annually honored the best centers in men’s college basketball since 2015. As the season progresses, the list will remain fluid, giving players the opportunity to move on and off the list until the Final 5 are selected. The list will narrow down to 10 players in late February, with the Final 5 being announced in March. The award winner and presentation details will be revealed at the Final Four in Detroit.
Moreno is back for his second season at Kentucky after earning All-Southeastern Conference Freshman Team honors a year ago. The native of Georgetown, Kentucky made 30 starts for the Wildcats and averaged 7.8 points per game along with a team-best 6.3 rebounds per game. He was an efficient 58.2% from the field while blocking 53 shots on the defensive end, leading the team in both metrics.
In his debut collegiate season, Moreno scored in double-figures 11 times and posted three double-doubles. He also displayed his passing prowess, registering 12 games with three or more assists and averaging 1.8 assists per game for the season.
Moreno has been a star on the court for the Wildcats in exhibition play, including a near triple-double performance earlier this week against UCF, posting 16 points with 14 rebounds, eight assists and two blocks. His eight assists would have been a career high as the center went 6-of-10 from the field and 4-of-5 from the free-throw line. Against top-20 preseason ranked Texas Tech, Moreno scored 15 points with six rebounds and three assists.
In the three exhibition games combined, Moreno averaged a double-double with 12.2 points per game and 10.3 rebounds per game. He also added 4.6 assists per game and 1.6 blocks per game, shooting 65 percent from the field and 70 percent from the free throw line.
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s basketball team, follow @KentuckyMBB on X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and on the web at UKathletics.com.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Preseason Watch List
Motiejus Krivas – Arizona
Oswin Erhunmwunse – Creighton
Patrick Ngongba II – Duke
Rueben Chinyelu – Florida
Marcis Ponder – FSU
Massamba Diop – Gonzaga
Tomislav Ivišić – Illinois
Andrew McKeever – Iowa
Malachi Moreno – Kentucky
Flory Bidunga – Louisville
Sananda Fru – Marquette
Pharrel Payne – Maryland
Somto Cyril – Miami
Moustapha Thiam – Michigan
Daniel Jacobsen – Purdue
Jaden Toombs – SMU
Matas Vokietaitis – Texas
Luigi Suigo – Villanova
Johann Grünloh – Virginia
Nolan Winter – Wisconsin
