Bill Caine/Woodford Sun Photo
Jasper Johnson calls it the “opportunity of a lifetime” to have an opportunity to make the USA Basketball men’s U18 national team that will compete in the FIBA U18 AmeriCup in Buenos Aires June 3-9.
The 6-4 point guard will be one of 29 players vying for a spot on the team when tryouts begin Thursday in Colorado Springs, Colo.
“Making this team and representing your country could be life changing,” Johnson, who led Woodford County to the 2023 state tournament before transferring to Link Academy in Missouri last season, said.
Johnson has had an amazing offseason and vaulted into the top 15 of national recruiting lists for the 2025 class even though the 18-year-old southpaw does still have the option to reclassify to the 2024 class if he opts to do that. He’s played well in the Nike EYBL and last weekend in Indianapolis had 26 points, six rebounds and four assists in his final game. Coaches Mark Pope (Kentucky), Nate Oats (Alabama), Bruce Pearl (Auburn) and Pat Kelsey (Louisville) were among the many coaches who watched him in Indy. Kentucky had a coach at every game he played in Indianapolis.
Pope recently called Johnson who has also been doing his homework on the new UK coach.
“His offense looks really good for guards. I like the way they shoot 3’s and he’s very creative with his offense. He says he doesn’t want to sign as many high school guys as they have in the past so having him recruiting me is pretty special,” Johnson said.
However, Johnson’s main focus is not on recruiting. It’s on making this USA team.
“It is going to take everything I have to make this team. Defense mainly has been my focus. I know I can score the ball but defense could give me a great chance to make the team,” Johnson said. “I have been working on my lateral quickness in games and workouts. But I also know I have to keep improving all aspects of my game.”
Johnson said it is “not really a big deal” whether he defends a point guard or shooting guard. He feels spending a season at Link Academy going against elite players in practice and games developed his team.
“At Link we had a whole lot of scoring options. For me it was more doing everything to help separate from my defender or helping my peers do the same thing,” Johnson said.
If Johnson has a fault, it might be that he’s too unselfish at times. He often shines in the biggest games but is content to let teammates score and do more in other games.
“I have heard people saying that, but when the time comes to take control I can do that. I like having teammates feed off me and me feed off them. I have never been a selfish player and never will be,” he said. “Being at Link and competing like I did every day helped my mindset.”
It also set him up for special experiences. He recently played in an elite all-star game in Chicago in front of NBA scouts and national basketball analysts. He went to North Carolina with his agent and brother and stayed in NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin’s home. However, he never envisioned having a chance to go overseas to play at age 18 for USA Basketball and give his parents and family a chance to travel with him.
“Growing up I didn’t even know you could do that. I thought that was only something maybe you could do if you were in the NBA,” Johnson, who went to the Bahamas to play with Link last season, said. “This is my first year to do this and first time to be invited to try out for a USA team. But it has been one of my goals to make this team and win a gold medal.
“It will certainly be different going out of the country for a long period of time if I make the team. I will be meeting new people, eating new food, seeing a different side of basketball.”
Recruiting never stops. He hopes to make a visit to Alabama this summer. He wants to make another visit to UK now that Pope has taken over from John Calipari.
“I have to be patient with recruiting. I just focus on the basketball side of it and let those around me take care of a lot of it,” he said. “NIL changes things. People like to see the type of person you are off the court. They want you to express your personality more and that’s almost as important as the basketball at times.
“There are pros and cons to NIL. That’s why I just focus on the basketball part and figure all that will take care of itself. I don’t need to be distracted. It is hard at my age knowing somebody is always watching and examining me. I just like to have fun with basketball. I am confident. I know I can score and get the ball to anybody. I just like to play the game.”
Johnson admits he gets asked often about recruiting almost everywhere he does but is in no hurry to make a decision.
“I’ve had a couple of conversations about schools and programs with my family but not a lot. I just want to take my time and make sure I know when I am ready to commit,” he said.
2 Responses
Johnson and Morena are kids who would fit well in Pope’s system. Has anyone heard any news concerning Lanier and Vinson? ESPN’s mock draft has Robinson going undrafted. Word has it that both Lanier and Robinson can score but are so so defenders. The UTube tape I saw on Vinson looked good on both ends of the floor.
We need to go after Hudson Greer. He’s phenomenal. He can actually fly. He’s great at defense and shooting 3s. He’s a great shooter in general. We need to go hot and heavy after him or he will go to duke. He dominated Cooper Flagg and he was a year younger than him. They say Cooper is the #1 pick in next years draft. We need Hudson Greer. I have a feeling jasper Johnson goes to arkansas. I really think he will end up there.