Great Crossing High School (Ky.) rising senior Malachi Moreno, one of only two 2025 centers holding a UNC basketball offer, included the Tar Heels among the top eight he named in late June. The 7-foot-1, 230-pound four-star’s other finalists are Notre Dame, Arkansas, Ohio State, Indiana, Iowa, Louisville, and Kentucky.
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Moreno, looking to wrap up his recruitment by his 18th birthday on Oct. 24, has scheduled an official visit with the Tar Heels for the second weekend of September.
But earlier this month, the coveted big man, No. 26 overall and No. 1 in Kentucky on the 247Sports 2025 Composite, took an unofficial visit to Kentucky. Plus, he’s locked in an official visit with the Wildcats for the second weekend in October, the final trip on his calendar.
And on Monday, 247Sports’ Travis Branham, who is arguably the top insider when it comes to high-profile recruitments involving Kentucky and typically doesn’t forecast battles without significant intel, entered a Crystal Ball pick in favor of Mark Pope’s Wildcats.
Branham tagged his prediction with a “high” level of confidence. It’s the first Crystal Ball pick for the Malachi Moreno sweepstakes.
UNC basketball head coach Hubert Davis and his staff have yet to secure their first 2025 recruiting prize. They have offers to 18 undecided preps in the cycle, but several of those targets have eliminated the Tar Heels from contention.
