Jasper Johnson (USA Basketball Photo)
Kentucky signed Acaden Lewis, Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno – all for the 2025 recruiting class – this week.
However, when Pope was asked about signing that trio Thursday, he started his answer by explaining why he loves coaching basketball.
“I got to sit next to Otega (Oweh) and Andrew Carr postgame after our last game (against Duke), and just listen to them answer questions and then talk about what this program is and what it means for them to be here,” Pope said. “It’s beautiful actually.
“These are kids that are seeing something way bigger than just themselves. And they care about the right things. It’s guys that I want to coach.”
Pope believes the three five-star players that he signed this week will have the same mentality/perspective about playing at Kentucky.
“All three of these guys that have jumped in so far, are top-level guys in the country and now they’ve all proven it. They’ve all done it in different ways. Then the third thing is they fit us. They fit the way we play on a basketball court. Their skillset really vibes with how we want to attack this game,” the Kentucky coach said.
Pope admitted that sometimes he might turn down a recruit — no matter how talented — if the fit is not right and sometimes players turn down Kentucky because they do not feel the fit is right.
Here is what Pope had to say about the signees.
Jasper Johnson (6-4 guard, No. 14 ranked): “Jasper Johnson is just danger, danger, danger, danger, right? He just is a dangerous gravity guy. He just demands that if you’re not going to pay attention to him with more than one body, anywhere he is on the court probably, he’s gonna hurt you, and he can really, really, really score the ball.
“And he’s got a kindness about him that’s really special. And he knows Kentucky, right? One thing that’s great about all three of these guys is they have an emotional reaction when they pull on a T-shirt that has Kentucky across the chest, right? They have emotional responses. Jasper Johnson has a chance to be a really, really special player here in Kentucky, for sure.”
Malachi Moreno (7-0 center, No. 29): “Malachi Moreno is probably the best center in all of high school basketball, and he fits us also. Every time I see him, he’s grown a little bit bigger than me, and he likes to rub it in. He puts his arm around me like I’m a little boy. I can’t decide if I hate that or if I love it. Mixed feelings on that.
“You talk about a great human being, what he does with his spare time, how he’s reached out to people in his community and people with special needs and people that don’t have any needs at all. He’s a special, special human being. He’s massive, and he’s an elite level passer.
“You meet him and you think, ‘Oh, this guy is just the nicest, biggest dude I’ve ever met,’ but when he gets in the fray, in the mix, there’s a little bit of violence and determination that comes out of him that was really fun for me to see.”
Acaden Lewis (6-2 point guard, No. 30): “Acaden Lewis is a floor general supreme. He’s a locker room leader, just watching him roll through the summer and hearing — you know, we’re recruiting a lot of guys, and the guys talk about each other. And I don’t know if there’s a guy that’s more universally liked than Acaden Lewis.
“And how great to have a point guard that’s that way, right? That’s what you want. He is a playmaking point guard. Every play he can make. His vision is elite. He’s wildly skilled. He can get wherever he wants to go on the floor. He does it in a way that’s reproducible. He’s got a toughness to him and kind of a balanced and even-keeled nature about himself that’s really special.
“And he earned it. Like in the spring, he was maybe in a space where he was walking around trying to shop himself (to coaches) a little bit. By mid-summer, he was trying to tell people ‘Stop bothering me, man. I can’t talk to every single school in the country,’ and he earned it, like he earned it every single day. I think he’s a beautiful kid.”
8 Responses
I like having a coach that will flat tell a player they are not a good fit. Better to have players you feel you can coach, than a bunch that don’t think they need coaching.
3 guys that will thrive in Popes offense. Lewis and Johnson will probably start along with Oweh Garrison and Moreno. That’s a wicked starting 5. Plus it might change next week depending on who we get in the portal and possible other top recruits. I hope Pope only Recruits 4-5 people max. Maybe 1 or 2 more freshman. I don’t want to start going in calaparis path. Where we have 7-8 freshmen. I like what he did this year bringing in 3 freshman. If we could bring in 4-5 freshman every year that would be a perfect scenario. 4-5 freshman and 2-3 transfers would be a perfect ratio. Transfers are good to have but I expect he doesn’t want a team composed mostly of transfers. This year is different because he had no time to recruit. I see Perry Noah Chandler Garrison and maybe Oweh coming back next year. So add these 3 freshman with them. We will probably add 2 more freshman. That’s 9 scholarships. I would fill the rest of the roster with proven production. I would get another post player. Another point guard and another wing. That’s 12 guys then you can maybe take a international player.
Every time i read comments from Mark Pope, I think about how blessed BBN is to have a great man that’s also a thinking man’s coach his adjustment’s at halftime in the Duke game were spot on. I love this guy as a person and a coach.
well said tony
Tony, could NOT agree more.
Pope will do a good job at Ky., no doubt. I agree with bringing in 2-3 top recruits a year, maximum. Why be like some coaches and stack 7-8 recruits on a team with not enough minutes in a game to satisfy them. It makes for unhappy campers with an attitude that results in early exits from March Madness. Yeah, a blind squirrel will find an acorn occasionally, but, for the most part Ky has been there, done that, with only one title in 15 years. That one came with Miller, a senior, and Jones a junior starting. I’m so glad that sh## show is over. Geez, what a narcissistic clown that was driving that short bus. Thought it was a Greyhound.
We been waiting along time for a this again.
Thank you, Larry, for writing one article about the entire recruiting class for next year–because I wanted to send a huge kudos to Coach Pope for the group he has signed so far–this will be his first "true recruiting class" at KY, his first real recruiting season as the KY coach, and he is off to an unbelievable start. It’s an incredible follow-up at the high school level to the "free-agency"-type team he assembled in just two months for THIS year. He is going to need some "fresh horses" to come in for next year with all that we are going to have to replace from this year, some "alphas"–he is going to need some serious talent, and he has already assembled some here with these 3 guys. Jasper was an absolute "MUST-GET" for the KY bball program, he was a "MUST-GET" for Pope for what he is trying to build here, and I assume CAL would have gone after him too, obviously as ARK was recruiting him, but Jasper is going to be prioritized in a way at KY with Pope as the coach that he wouldn’t have with CAL still here. Any KY native who says "K-Y ’till I die", u MUST prioritize getting on your bball team! Johnson will be everything we want as fans in terms of talent, athleticism, skill, gamesmanship, and KY CULTURE. This is somebody who GETS IT. The KY BLUE is in his bloodline, and in his DNA. I grew up watching his father and uncle play football here. His father, Dennis, is my age, and was in the same high-school graduating class as me in 1998. I still remember when he signed here, and how we could not wait for him to suit up and play here. At the time, KY FB had not had any recruit of that talent-level since the late 70’s. Unfortunately, the time Dennis played here, our FB program didn’t exactly stress or put any time or emphasis into the defensive side of the ball. Would have loved to see him play in a Stoops defense. And grandfather Mr Alvis is class act and a true gentleman, and his character is reflected in both of his sons and his grandson in the way they were all raised. This one is a special one for me personally, and a special one for KY. This kid will be absolutely loved here, I have no doubt, as he should be. Malachi isn’t far behind–a KY native, a lifelong BLUE-BLOODER who will also understand the impact and meaning of putting on that KY jersey. And an immensely talented player nationally–the size and physicality we will be needing on the team next year. And then with Acaden, I see toughness, grit, and a hard-worker—an inner-city kid who will bring that warrior-like mentality, and lack of fear, to the national stage. Hopefully as a freshman, he will be ready to lead a team. And I love the Anthony Epps comparison from Pope. It really is a fantastic class thus far, and I am really really excited about it! Now, if we could just add Caleb Wilson to this group–then u could start calling this a "super-class" for Pope with it being his first true recruiting class. They do need one more stud like Wilson to round this class out, and I really think he would be the perfect fit and the perfect addition to this group, and based on what I have read, I feel pretty good about our chances! Also, BBN, make sure to love and savor the fact that CAL wanted and tried to get all of these guys at ARK–especially when it comes to our two KY GUYS–make sure to love and savor the fact that our two homegrown kids proved that home state and Big Blue loyalty won out over Tyson Chicken Little, or anybody else!!! Congrats, Coach Pope, on a fantastic first recruiting class so far!!!