Jasper Johnson, center, in the huddle with UK players during his visit to Kentucky Tuesday.
Recruit Jasper Johnson got the “full-court press” from Kentucky coach Mark Pope and his staff during a nearly five-hour unofficial visit to UK on Tuesday.
“Pope was very intentional with all he said and did,” said Dennis Johnson, Jasper’s father. “I really liked how he handled stuff. He told Jasper he needed to get him in for an official visit and said if he wanted to call at 4 in the morning to get it done (commit to Kentucky) he was fine with that.”
Johnson is ranked as the No. 10 overall prospect in the 2025 recruiting class. He played two years at Woodford County before transferring to Link Academy in Missouri last season. He helped the United States go 6-0 in the recent FIBA U18 AmeriCup in Argentina and won the gold medal. He’s averaged 15.1 points. 2.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists in Nike EYBL play this summer.
The 6-4 lefty can play either guard spot and has already taken official visits to West Virginia, Missouri, North Carolina, Auburn and Kentucky when John Calipari was still the UK coach. He will make an official visit to Alabama this weekend and then one to Illinois next week where former UK assistant Orlando Antigua is on the staff. Calipari is also hoping to get Johnson to make an official visit to Arkansas.
“Pope told him that not many in-state kids around the country get to play for a team in their state that is really good and said he could be the catalyst for UK because guys want to play with Jasper,” Dennis Johnson said.
Jasper Johnson watched UK practice and Pope invited him into the huddle.
“Pope said, ‘Let’s break it down around him,’ and the players were great,” Dennis Johnson said. “I talked to (freshman) Travis (Perry) and he said he hopes Jasper comes to Kentucky.”
Jasper Johnson obviously liked what he heard and saw because his father said he was watching BYU games with Pope coaching on YouTube Tuesday night after the visit.
“Pope had a lot of conviction about what he was saying and telling Jasper,” Dennis Johnson said. “Pope texted me and said he really appreciated us coming over and that we had a great family he enjoyed being around.”
Jasper Johnson has indicated he’s in no hurry to make his college choice and said the same thing again Wednesday on Kentucky Sports Radio.
“We are looking for the best basketball fit,” Dennis Johnson said. “We don’t go in talking about NIL and some stuff maybe other players do. That’s not why we go on visits and why Jasper is wanting to make sure to take his time and make the right decision.”
2 Responses
The real question is does he want to be a Kentucky Wildcat? Wanting to win SEC and NCAA championships for Kentucky is the first litmus test for being a team player that would be a good fit for Pope’s program. Doing so would give him plenty of opportunity to develop over 2 or 3 years, and most kids…even the 5 star kids need development. If he is thinking about OAD and being a lottery pick at the age of 18, Kentucky may not be the best fit for him. Calipari proved that OAD does not sustain a program, much less advance it. Championships are won with 3, 4, and 5 year players.
To really make it click you’re still gonna need a couple one & done’s every year in my way of thinking. Surround them with the 2’s, 3’s & and a sprinkling of 4’s and a portal specialty 5.