It’s not believed to be serious.
The first wave of cuts for the Team USA U19 team have been made, with Kentucky Wildcats center Malachi Moreno being a surprise early cut.
Fellow incoming Wildcat Jasper Johnson did make the cut, but it was Moreno who was thought to have the easier path to the final roster.
As it turns out, Moreno suffered a minor injury at the recent Team USA training camp. That led to a mutual decision from Moreno and Team USA for him to exit the event, according to KSR’s Jack Pilgrim.
With head coach Mark Pope serving as one of the camp instructors, it’s easy to see why everyone thought it’d best for Moreno to bow out. The last thing Pope needs right now is a significant preseason injury to someone after the injury-plagued first season he just endured as the program’s new head coach.
And with projected starting big man Jayden Quaintance still out indefinitely while recovering from ACL surgery, Kentucky’s frontcourt did not need another man down with summer practice now starting up.
Hopefully, Moreno will be part of said practices soon enough.