The NBA Draft buzz is heating up, and the latest mock draft from Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor has turned heads with some surprising projections. In a move that's got fans talking, Kentucky big man Malachi Moreno is now projected to go 24th overall to the New York Knicks, leapfrogging fellow five-star recruit Jayden Quaintance, who slips to 29th with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

This shift is nothing short of dramatic. Moreno's rise is unexpected, while Quaintance's fall is equally stunning—though perhaps understandable after he missed most of the season with a nagging knee issue that's become the talk of draft circles. If NBA executives truly see it this way, it could push Moreno to stay in the draft and tempt Quaintance to return to college for another year.

The real headline here? Moreno is gaining real traction as a potential late-first-round pick. The question is whether that's enough to convince him to keep his name in the draft. All eyes will be on next week's NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, where Moreno's performance could seal his fate—and his next destination.

Meanwhile, Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic, a top Kentucky recruiting target, is projected at 46th overall to the Phoenix Suns. Momcilovic reportedly wants to stay in the draft, but with projections like that, it's hard to ignore the allure of a potential $5 million NIL deal back in college. Still, his elite three-point shooting could make him a first-round gamble for a team willing to take a chance—it only takes one believer.

Adding to the drama, several players ranked ahead of Momcilovic are expected to return to school, including Andrej Stojaković, Matt Able, Billy Richmond, Flory Bidunga, Rueben Chinyelu, Tyler Tanner, and possibly even Moreno. That could shake up the board and open doors.

It's all building toward a tense deadline day on May 27, when Moreno and Momcilovic will have to make their final calls. Until then, the draft buzz is only going to get louder.