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The Kentucky Mr. Basketball award is an annual honor recognizing the top male high school senior basketball player in the state. The award was first given out in 1956, with King Kelly Coleman of Wayland High School receiving the honor. The winner of the award wears the #1 jersey in the summer all-star series against the Indiana High School All-Stars. The 2025 winner of the Mr. Kentucky Basketball award was Malachi Moreno of Great Crossing.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 2025 |
| Winner | Malachi Moreno |
| School | Great Crossing |
| Region | 11th |
| Points per game | 22 |
| Rebounds per game | 14.6 |
| Jersey number | 1 |
| College choice | Kentucky |
| Height | 6-foot-10 |
| Position | Center |
| First Kentucky Mr. Basketball | "King" Kelly Coleman |
| Year of first award | 1956 |
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2025 Mr. Basketball winner
The 2025 Kentucky Mr. Basketball award went to Great Crossing's Malachi Moreno, a 6-foot-10 center who signed with the University of Kentucky. Moreno averaged 22 points and 14.6 rebounds per game and was ranked as the No. 1 college recruit in the state and the No. 3 center in the nation for the class of 2025 by 247Sports.com. His defending 11th Region champion Warhawks were ranked No. 2 in the state and were among the favorites to reach the Boys' Sweet 16 state tournament.
Moreno was one of 18 boys' high school basketball seniors to earn region player of the year honors, which came with a nomination for the 2025 Kentucky Mr. Basketball award. Other nominees included Woodford County's Armelo Boone, a 6-4 guard who signed with Western Kentucky, Butler County's Ty Price, Ashland Blazer's Zander Carter, Harlan County's Maddox Huff, and Cooper's Andy Johnson.
The Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation, which has announced Mr. Kentucky Basketball since 1954, hosted the 14th Annual Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball Awards Ceremony on March 16, 2025, at the Griffin Gate Marriott Resort in Lexington, Kentucky. The event recognized the best current and past high school basketball players from across the state and served as a fundraiser for the Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation.
Moreno's older brother, Michael Moreno, was also an 11th Region player of the year and Mr. Basketball finalist in 2019. When asked if becoming Mr. Basketball would change their sibling dynamic, Malachi Moreno said, "He still has a little bit more accolades than I do. We'll have to wait and see at the end of March."
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2025 nominees
The Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation announced 18 nominees for the 2025 Mr. Basketball award, which recognizes the top high school senior basketball players in the state. Nominees included:
- Great Crossing's Malachi Moreno, who ultimately won the award. Moreno, a 6-foot-10 center, averaged 22 points and 14.6 rebounds per game and was ranked as the No. 1 college recruit in the state and No. 3 center in the nation for the class of 2025.
- Woodford County's Armelo Boone, a 6-4 guard who previously played for Frederick Douglass and helped lead the team to the 2023 11th Region title.
- Butler County's Ty Price, who helped Butler County win the 3rd Region Tournament for the first time and is climbing the all-time boys scoring ranks with over 3,000 points.
- Ashland Blazer's Zander Carter, who could also cross the 3,000-point mark with a few postseason wins.
- Harlan County's Maddox Huff, who was the 13th Region Boys nominee and averaged 30 points per game this season.
- Cooper's Andy Johnson, who ranked among the top scorers in the state.
The winner of the Mr. Basketball award wears the No. 1 jersey in the Kentucky-Indiana All-Star Series held each summer.
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Past winners
The Kentucky Mr. Basketball honor is awarded to the top high school senior basketball player in the state of Kentucky. The first Kentucky Mr. Basketball was "King" Kelly Coleman of Wayland High School in 1956. The award is presented annually by the Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation. Here is a list of some of the past winners of the Kentucky Mr. Basketball award:
- In 2025, Great Crossing's Malachi Moreno was named Kentucky Mr. Basketball.
- In 2020, the winner was a player named Allen, who averaged 42.9 points and 14.2 rebounds per game before suffering an ACL injury.
- Another past winner is a player named Carrier, who went on to play for the University of Kentucky, appearing in 94 games and averaging less than two points per game.
- A winner from before 2020 is a player named Stockton, who scored 2,674 points in his career for the Scotties, along with 610 assists and 390 steals.
- The Kentucky Mr. Basketball before Stockton is a player named Lofton, who led the conference in scoring with 20.8 points per game and was named SEC Player of the Year by the AP in 2007.
- A winner prior to 2007 is a player named Tilford, who averaged 20.4 points per game and led his team to the regional championship game.
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Past winners' careers
The Kentucky Mr. Basketball award is an annual honor recognizing the top male high school senior basketball player in the state. The award was first given out in 1956, with "King" Kelly Coleman of Wayland High School being the inaugural recipient. The winner traditionally wears the #1 jersey in the summer all-star series against the Indiana High School All-Stars.
Over the years, the award has recognized and celebrated the achievements of many talented basketball players, some of whom have gone on to have successful careers in the sport. Here is a look at the careers of some past winners of the Kentucky Mr. Basketball award:
Brandon Stockton (Date Unknown)
Stockton put up impressive numbers during his high school career, scoring 2,674 points, dishing out 610 assists, and recording 390 steals. He continued his basketball career at the University of Kentucky, appearing in 83 games over four years, with six starts in his senior year.
Jared Carter (Date Unknown)
Jared Carter, a former Kentucky Mr. Basketball, had a successful college career at the University of Kentucky. He played under coach Tubby Smith and appeared in 94 games during his four years on the team, averaging less than two points per game. After his playing career, he transitioned into coaching, working as a women's basketball assistant coach at Northern Kentucky.
Chris Lofton (2004)
Chris Lofton, the 2004 Kentucky Mr. Basketball, went on to have a notable college career at the University of Tennessee. He led the conference in scoring with 20.8 points per game and was named the SEC Player of the Year by the AP in 2007. He also set the SEC record for most three-pointers made with 431. After college, he played basketball overseas in multiple countries, including South Korea during the 2017-2018 season.
Allen Feldhaus (2019)
Allen Feldhaus, the 2019 Kentucky Mr. Basketball, was a highly touted recruit, averaging 42.9 points and 14.2 rebounds per game before suffering an ACL injury in 2018. He finished his high school career with 3,255 points and 1,228 rebounds. Feldhaus chose to play for the University of Kentucky over other top programs like Louisville, Florida, and Auburn.
Malachi Moreno (2024)
Malachi Moreno, the 2024 Kentucky Mr. Basketball, was a dominant force in high school, averaging a double-double with 22 points and 14.6 rebounds per game. He committed to play for the University of Kentucky and was ranked as the top recruit in the state and the third-best center in the nation for the class of 2025.
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Past controversies
The Kentucky Mr. Basketball award is an annual honor recognizing the top male high school senior basketball player in the state of Kentucky. The award was first given out in 1956, with "King" Kelly Coleman of Wayland High School being the inaugural recipient.
In 2019, Dontaie Allen's win of the Kentucky Mr. Basketball award sparked some controversy. Allen, a star player from Pendleton County, had only played 13 games that season before suffering a season-ending ACL tear that required surgery. Despite his impressive performance in those 13 games, some people questioned whether Allen deserved the award given the limited number of games he played. There were other finalists who had outstanding senior seasons, such as KyKy Tandy of University Heights Academy, who some believed should have won.
Social media users also speculated that Allen may have won simply because he was going to Kentucky, although others disagreed with this notion, arguing that it was unfair to Allen and that he was a deserving player.
The controversy surrounding Allen's win highlights the subjective nature of awarding the Mr. Basketball honor and the challenge of evaluating players with different levels of playing time. It remains a topic of debate and will likely resurface in similar situations in the future.
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Frequently asked questions
Great Crossing's Malachi Moreno won the 2024-25 Kentucky Mr. Basketball award.
Other nominees included Woodford County's Armelo Boone, Butler County's Ty Price, Ashland Blazer's Zander Carter, and Harlan County's Maddox Huff.
The winner of the Mr. Basketball award wears #1 on his jersey in the summer all-star series against the Indiana High School All-Stars.
The first Kentucky Mr. Basketball award was given to "King" Kelly Coleman of Wayland High School in 1956.
