UNC Basketball: To no surprise, this Class of 2025 recruit is heading elsewhere

While the UNC basketball program was included in Malachi Moreno's list of eight finalists, it felt like a long-shot that the Georgetown, Kentucky native would choose the Tar Heels as his future school.

On Friday, Moreno confirmed that, as the top-ranked big man in the Class of 2025 is staying home.

Moreno has decided to commit to Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats, a decision that was expected leading up to his final announcement on Friday morning. This news shouldn't be considered as a surprise, as it felt as if the UNC basketball program was on the outside looking in for this particular recruitment.

One notable sign is that Moreno didn't make an official visit to Chapel Hill, which alone seems to point toward the Tar Heels not being fully in the mix. While the Tar Heels would have loved to have had him join their future roster, they'll now pivot their attention elsewhere to see what other big man options are potentially available.

A name to watch is Eric Reibe, a seven-footer who recently scheduled an official visit to Chapel Hill.

It's impossible for a program to land every single player they recruit, especially in the college basketball world, as this is one that didn't work out in their favor. However, it isn't due to a lack of trying, as Hubert Davis and his staff are now focusing their attention on the prospects they are still in the mix for.