Twitter Photo
Transferring to Missouri prep powerhouse Link Academy, the 2023 GEICO Nationals champion, was not a decision that sophomore Jasper Johnson made quickly. Instead, Johnson and his family had been weighing the pros and cons of this move for months as they contemplated several potential prep schools.
The 6-5 Johnson, a top 20 recruit in the 2025 class, helped Woodford County reach the state basketball tournament for the first time since 1986 last season and the Yellow Jackets reached the semifinals. He averaged 20.1 points per game last season.
Johnson has shone in Nike EYBL play for Team Thad. His team is 14-3 overall and the No. 3 seed into Peach Jam in July. He averaged 12.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 51 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range. He was one of the best guards in EYBL play even though he’s playing up an age bracket in the 17-under division.
Johnson’s father, Dennis, is the head football coach and athletics director at Woodford County. He has plenty of childhood friends he’s played sports with as well as hung out with. Leaving friends and family to attend school in Branson, Mo., about seven hours away was a difficult decision but one that friends and family supported.
“Even my friends want what is best for me and my old coaches, they know I have an opportunity to go as far as I want to take it and this is a step to get there and they understand that,” Johnson said. “Link plays a national schedule and there will be a lot more eyes on me. It’s another big step in my development.”
Link has five full-time coaches, a strength coach, a director of basketball operations and other staff members. Johnson will practice with and against elite players daily and face some of the nation’s best prep players every weekend during the season just like he has for four weekends this summer in Nike EYBL play.
He’s recently added scholarship offers from Indiana and Florida State. He already had offers from Kentucky, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Ohio State, Memphis, Alabama, West Virginia, Louisville and others along with interest from many more schools. That number will only increase after he was named to the Pangos All-American Camp Top 30 game — 120 of the nation’s best players attended the camp.
