Mark Pope's current Kentucky roster already appears built to lean into his three-point offense like never before. However, with Malachi Moreno starting to knock down threes in live play, the ceiling may have just completely shattered regarding what this team may be capable of. If Moreno is stretching the floor on a regular basis, these Cats can beat anybody.
Now, Moreno is a guy who attempted just three triples in the entirety of last season, and he missed all of them. But to be fair to his ability, he was splitting minutes with Brandon Garrison and remained in the shadow of Jayden Quaintance as Kentucky fans waited on his return at the center spot.
Moreno has been given full control as Kentucky's starting big, and the early result has seen him pulling out to the three-point line in practice, not without some noticeable improvement:
This was my favorite clip from practice, for multiple reasons. @JackPilgrimKSR. pic.twitter.com/peNVv39Gb4
— Rare Rookies (@rarerookies) August 6, 2026
Malachi Moreno is Expanding His Game to the Perimeter
Time and time again in behind the scenes looks this offseason, we've seen hints at Moreno expanding his game this way. It isn't something Kentucky necessarily needs, but the modern state of basketball undeniably favors bigs who can play this way.
Not only is Moreno doing his professional draft stock favors by developing this skill, but it won't hurt if he's able to clear out the paint and knock down the occasional triple this season. The difference will be the Wildcats not relying on Moreno from range, but being able to benefit from it now and again.
It's the kind of improvement that can only raise Kentucky's ceiling. The team's floor remains the same whether or not your starting five-man can step out behind the line, especially with Milan Momcilovic, Alex Wilkins, and Kam Williams leading the way from distance.
But as both Justin McBride and Ousmane N'Diaye find their footing at the four spot, Moreno's jumper could end up being a more welcome addition that it seems on the surface.
Kentucky's Ceiling Raises With Moreno Scoring From Three-Point Range
Kentucky fans will painfully recall Brandon Garrison's attempts to score from range last season were more often a loss than a win for the Wildcats. While he shot, and made, more than Moreno, Garrison's struggles to maintain physicality in the paint made his streaky three-point scoring redundant.
Moreno has the physical potential to achieve the opposite. If he takes the expected second-year leap that Mark Pope is counting on, the majority of his game will remain down low, and the rest of Kentucky's offense will benefit for it.
Any threes he knocks in will be cherries on top. That's the best outcome for Moreno growing his game, and lucky for Kentucky fans, things appears to be trending exactly that way.
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