A new NBA mock draft has Kentucky fans doing double takes after Yahoo Sports analyst Kevin O’Connor projected Malachi Moreno ahead of Jayden Quaintance in the first round.
The projection placed Moreno at No. 24 overall to the New York Knicks, while Quaintance slipped all the way to No. 29 to the Cleveland Cavaliers. For many around college basketball, that order was unexpected.
Coming into the offseason, Quaintance was widely viewed as one of the most talented young prospects in the country. But after missing most of last season because of lingering knee issues, concerns about his health may be starting to affect how NBA teams evaluate him.
Meanwhile, Moreno’s stock appears to be rising at the perfect time.
The Kentucky big man continues to gain momentum as scouts take a closer look at his size, skill set, and long-term upside. If NBA teams truly value him as a first-round talent, there’s now a legitimate chance Moreno could remain in the draft instead of returning to college.
That possibility would have seemed unlikely just a few months ago.
Now, all eyes shift to the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, where Moreno could either solidify his first-round status or convince himself another year at Kentucky is the better move.
The mock draft also included Kentucky transfer target Milan Momcilovic, who landed at No. 46 overall to the Phoenix Suns.
Even though Momcilovic has reportedly leaned toward staying in the draft, projections in the middle of the second round could complicate things. Returning to college basketball — especially with the NIL money potentially available — may become increasingly tempting.
And Kentucky fans know exactly why Mark Pope is paying close attention.
Momcilovic’s elite shooting ability makes him one of the most dangerous offensive forwards available, and it only takes one NBA team to fall in love with his game for his stock to rise quickly. Still, if the current projections hold, a return to college remains very realistic.
There’s also another factor working in Momcilovic’s favor: several players currently projected ahead of him could still withdraw from the draft and return to school. That list includes Andrej Stojaković, Billy Richmond, Flory Bidunga, Rueben Chinyelu, Tyler Tanner, and potentially even Moreno himself.
The next few weeks could completely reshape Kentucky’s roster outlook for next season.
One more notable name appeared in the mock draft as well — Otega Oweh.
The former Kentucky star was projected to go No. 59 overall to the Minnesota Timberwolves, giving him one of the final spots in the draft. While Oweh hasn’t consistently appeared in many mock drafts, hearing his name connected to an NBA team is still a major development after becoming one of the biggest success stories of the Mark Pope era.
With the May 27 withdrawal deadline approaching, Kentucky fans may be in for one of the wildest roster waits in recent memory.
