Moreno Now Ahead of JQ in the Draft - #24, Gone, IMO

jeffky

All-American
Sep 22, 2017
3,647
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This would be both a shocking rise for Moreno and a stunning fall for Quaintance, though perhaps an earned one for the latter after he missed most of this past season due to the longest case of knee swelling ever recorded (we think).
Be careful jq's dad might be lurking around .
 
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Aug 23, 2024
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Brandon Garrison is a better basketball player than JQ, so no surprise there!

JQ’s problem with his, “Fake it, until you make it” scheme, was he was trying to figure out where to hide for an additional year until he was draft eligible…

Play an extra year in high school, and potentially get exposed there, or risk two years in college, and play the injury card, instead of definitely getting exposed there!

JQ eventually had to get in the court, and when he did, it was quickly apparent, he only looked like a basketball player, instead of actually being a basketball player.
It's amazing someone can actually believe something as stupid as this take.
 

Runt#1969

All-American
Dec 13, 2010
21,183
8,675
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This will be a learning experience for Moreno. Hopefully the NBA will tell him what to improve upon and he will come back to school. I can't see as a first round pick this year myself.
He will get paid this year at UK and if he does improve will be a top ten pick in 27.
agreed
 

CatManFromCa

Sophomore
Jan 8, 2026
82
145
32
Moreno being a one‑and‑done? GOOD. That means the machine is working. That means the pipeline is flowing. That means the GM Battalion already has the NEXT DUDE lined up.

And look at the Washington transfer. LOOK AT HIM. You think that was random? You think that was luck? No. That was the GM Battalion pulling a 6’11”, 240‑pound insurance policy out of the portal! 4 minds better than 1!
 

Hitman206

Senior
Jul 11, 2009
629
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Moreno ain't leaving UK until at least after this coming season. Mark it down. I am not surprised he might be seen as ahead of JQ. JQ has nearly zero skill on the offensive end. He is a rim runner and capable defender. That's it
Quaintance can also pass and guard all five positions and you can switch him on anyone. He is a Robert Williams type with more skill.
 

Hitman206

Senior
Jul 11, 2009
629
824
93
I say Moreno will never play another minute for Pope.

And why would he?
What people aren't saying is this team is worse than last season's team, and Moreno may not want to face a constant barrage of double teams and gameplans focused on stopping him.
 

RedwoodHigh

All-Conference
Nov 18, 2025
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All I know is during the season when I mentioned a possibility of Moreno being a first round pick, some on here laughed at me.
If he gets drafted it will be a team that is already deep or a future prospect play with plans to develop him.
He makes $25 million more by staying at UK & going in the lottery next year.
CBS & ESPN have him in 2nd round & JQ GOING to Thunder with mid 1st round pick
 
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UKGrad24

All-American
Apr 2, 2024
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Any national media pertaining to Kentucky Basketball is click bait.

and ya’ll judge Pope for getting played 🫠
lol what? Judge pope for getting played? He’s paid millions of dollars to run a high profile organization. Yes him getting played is far more significant than someone at home linking at article. Pope shouldn’t be able to be played at all, and regardless this isn’t how this works.

Pope is a national embarrassment for this university. I don’t care what a message board posters thinks about some article.

The constant clean up on isle 9 for Mark Pope is so ridiculous. It just shows how unfit he is for this job.
 
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RedwoodHigh

All-Conference
Nov 18, 2025
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What people aren't saying is this team is worse than last season's team, and Moreno may not want to face a constant barrage of double teams and gameplans focused on stopping him.
This year’s team is way better than the injured 2025 -26 team. & Way deeper versatility wise.
Four 7 footers -
Four point guards - three at 6’4” or taller
Kam - Hawthorne- Noah - McBride
 
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KyKevin

All-Conference
Dec 28, 2021
1,814
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What people aren't saying is this team is worse than last season's team, and Moreno may not want to face a constant barrage of double teams and gameplans focused on stopping him.





I hope Moreno knows, that pressure is how Diamonds are made. Hopefully he will be a Big Blue Diamond 🤞
 

rivercatinfl

All-Conference
Nov 21, 2012
2,099
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He’s never gonna be a top 10 pick, and his draft stock could also easily fall if he comes back for another season …especially if he gets injured.

The reason why his projected draft spot has dramatically risen in the last month is because of the unusual number of draftable bigs choosing to stay in school this year (see Haugh, Condon, Ngonba, Bidunga, Krivas, etc.). There simply aren’t that many decent center prospects in this year’s draft. Which has raised Moreno’s projected spot way up without him having to do a damn thing.

There’s no guarantee things are gonna break that way for him next year. In fact, they probably won’t. Who knows, this year might end up being the best chance he gets to go first round.
I can't see him as a 1st rounder. He has skills but he needs work to become one.
He needs more strength, back to the basket moves, rebounding and better shooting from everything I saw last year.
There are no guarantees as you say, but if he goes to the combine, he will be exposed.

Stay here big fella.
 

Reggie Noble

Junior
Jul 5, 2025
193
268
63
Watch some NBA basketball. Guys at Moreno's size must hit from the outside and have good ball handling skills. Malachi is raw with decent touch; needs 1-2 more years at UK.
Not true.

NBA starting centers:
Atlantic Division
  • Boston Celtics: Neemias Queta/Kristaps Porziņģis (depending on health/injury status)
  • Brooklyn Nets: Nic Claxton
  • New York Knicks: Karl-Anthony Towns
  • Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid
  • Toronto Raptors: Jakob Pöltl [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Central Division
  • Chicago Bulls: Nikola Vučević
  • Cleveland Cavaliers: Jarrett Allen
  • Detroit Pistons: Jalen Duren
  • Indiana Pacers: Isaiah Jackson
  • Milwaukee Bucks: Myles Turner
Southeast Division
  • Atlanta Hawks: Onyeka Okongwu
  • Charlotte Hornets: Mark Williams
  • Miami Heat: Bam Adebayo
  • Orlando Magic: Wendell Carter Jr.
  • Washington Wizards: Alex Sarr
Northwest Division
  • Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokić
  • Minnesota Timberwolves: Rudy Gobert
  • Oklahoma City Thunder: Isaiah Hartenstein
  • Portland Trail Blazers: Robert Williams III
  • Utah Jazz: Walker Kessler
Pacific Division
  • Golden State Warriors: Draymond Green (small-ball)
  • Los Angeles Clippers: Ivica Zubac
  • Los Angeles Lakers: Anthony Davis
  • Phoenix Suns: Jusuf Nurkić/Mark Williams (noted as Suns in some 2025/26 lists)
  • Sacramento Kings: Domantas Sabonis [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Southwest Division
  • Dallas Mavericks: Dereck Lively II (or Daniel Gafford)
  • Houston Rockets: Alperen Şengün
  • Memphis Grizzlies: Zach Edey
  • New Orleans Pelicans: Yves Missi (or Jonas Valančiūnas if retained)
  • San Antonio Spurs: Victor Wembanyama
 
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Delk4three

Senior
Jul 1, 2004
461
787
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I don't see the similarities between the two players or situations at all. Moreno is a seven foot large man. And a sophomore.
Oscar is 5 times the player Moreno is. Oscar is a great rebounder, one of the best in the world. W hat one skill is Moreno even very good at? Speaking for myself, if I could chose, I'd take Oscar over Moreno every time.
 

anot

All-Conference
Mar 27, 2026
989
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Oscar is 5 times the player Moreno is. Oscar is a great rebounder, one of the best in the world. W hat one skill is Moreno even very good at? Speaking for myself, if I could chose, I'd take Oscar over Moreno every time.
I'm not saying I disagree with you but we both know how the NBA is. Moreno measurements will get him in the league alone. Can't reach size and Oscar doesn't have that on his side.

Would you take Oscar over Nick Richards?
 

Delk4three

Senior
Jul 1, 2004
461
787
93
I'm not saying I disagree with you but we both know how the NBA is. Moreno measurements will get him in the league alone. Can't reach size and Oscar doesn't have that on his side.

Would you take Oscar over Nick Richards?
Uh...YES
 

Delk4three

Senior
Jul 1, 2004
461
787
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Ok then that's my point. Nick has had a much better NBA career than Oscar. Size and length alone. He hasn't hopped around the g League his entire career. Moreno will have a much better career than Oscar.
Well, Richards did play 21 more NBA games this year than Oscar. Oscar had better stats for the 27 games he played though.
 
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Katscratch

Junior
Oct 9, 2022
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Oscar is 5 times the player Moreno is. Oscar is a great rebounder, one of the best in the world. W hat one skill is Moreno even very good at? Speaking for myself, if I could chose, I'd take Oscar over Moreno every time.
As a college player? Obviously.

But as an NBA player, a 6'8" post that cannot shoot from outside or protect the rim is not a winning player. Oscar Tshiebwe has a total of 49 games in three NBA seasons, and almost all of them have been after his team was playoff eliminated. He plays when Utah is trying to tank.

Moreno is a great kid, is long, and has skill. At 19 years old he is a far, far better NBA prospect than Oscar ever was when he was player of the year.
 

anot

All-Conference
Mar 27, 2026
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Well, Richards did play 21 more NBA games this year than Oscar. Oscar had better stats for the 27 games he played though.
Again that's my point. We both would take Oscar. But he doesn't get a fair shot because of size and politics. The NBA isnt always about who's the most talented or who can help win. You just cant teach size and Moreno is huge.

You have teams literally tanking on purpose. NBA doesn't care about who's better. They like big men and there's not many left like Moreno even if he's not the greatest basketball player.

When you're that big all you have to do is be decent to carve out a nice career.
 

Delk4three

Senior
Jul 1, 2004
461
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As a college player? Obviously.

But as an NBA player, a 6'8" post that cannot shoot from outside or protect the rim is not a winning player. Oscar Tshiebwe has a total of 49 games in three NBA seasons, and almost all of them have been after his team was playoff eliminated. He plays when Utah is trying to tank.

Moreno is a great kid, is long, and has skill. At 19 years old he is a far, far better NBA prospect than Oscar ever was when he was player of the year.
As a junior, Oscar was National Player of the Year. If Moreno stayed for his junior year, do you honestly think he would sniff being dominate enough to be National Player of the Year? That Bulls team that Richards played for only finished 20 games under .500 this year. Not exactly a winning team.
 
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anot

All-Conference
Mar 27, 2026
989
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As a junior, Oscar was National Player of the Year. If Moreno stayed for his junior year, do you honestly think he would sniff being dominate enough to be National Player of the Year? That Bulls team that Richards played for only finished 20 games under .500 this year. Not exactly a winning team.
Oscar is the better player. Why is Nick having a easier time making it in the NBA?
 

Katscratch

Junior
Oct 9, 2022
186
245
43
As a junior, Oscar was National Player of the Year. If Moreno stayed for his junior year, do you honestly think he would sniff being dominate enough to be National Player of the Year? That Bulls team that Richards played for only finished 20 games under .500 this year. Not exactly a winning team.
That's why I said that Oscar was obviously the better college player.

And Oscar is a non-entity as an NBA rotation player.

Moreno has a chance to develop into a good NBA player. That in itsself is better odds than the undrafted Oscar. These NBA guys don't always get it right, but they usually do and with Oscar they were spot-on.
 
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