Not-so-good updates on Malachi Moreno and Jasper Johnson

Could we actually see the Kentucky Wildcats miss out on Bluegrass products Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno? Based on the latest recruiting buzz, there’s a real chance it will happen.

With the AAU season effectively wrapping up soon with the Nike Peach Jam now underway, it looks like Johnson could announce a decision in the coming weeks, but it’s unlikely to be Kentucky.

Heading down the stretch, the North Carolina Tar Heels and Alabama Crimson Tide have drawn the most buzz for Johnson. That was reiterated by On3’s Joe Tipton, who believes the Tide and Heels are standing out for the Versailles (KY) native.

He recently took a visit to Alabama and the Crimson Tide should like where they’re at.

North Carolina is also making a really strong push and should not be underestimated. The hometown Kentucky Wildcats remain involved.

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One source said that this recruitment will likely come down to Alabama and North Carolina.

As for Moreno, the Cats appear to have a much better shot with him, though they may not be leading the race, at least based on what On’3s Jamie Shaw is hearing.

While Kentucky is thought to be near the top for Moreno, the Indiana Hoosiers may actually lead this race.

Heading into the visits, sources tell me to watch for Kentucky and Indiana in this one. One source close to the recruitment took it a step further and said they think Indiana leads heading into the visits.

If Moreno and Johnson end up elsewhere, it would be a painful blow for the start of the Mark Pope era. It’s rare that the state of Kentucky produces not one but two top-30 prospects, so to miss out on both would really sting, especially since they’d be going to play for rivals. Not to mention Jasper is the son of Kentucky football great Dennis Johnson.

Saying this, I’m not sure how much blame can be placed on Pope’s shoulders if it happens. Relationships matter, and Pope didn’t recruit these guys while at BYU. Sure, he’s recruited them since becoming Kentucky’s new head coach in April, but these other schools have been on Johnson and Moreno for much longer.

Here’s to hoping Pope can finish strong and land at least one of these guys. Moreno is currently set to visit Kentucky for Big Blue Madness.