Young Swiss fans embraced Kentucky freshman Jasper Johnson when he was playing for Team USA in Switzerland. (Dennis Johnson Photo)
Former Kentucky all-SEC defensive end Dennis Johnson has had a lot of special sports moments but was not quite prepared for what happened in Switzerland when he was watching his son Jasper Johnson play for Team USA.
“I am sitting at the very top of the arena and I became great friends with two guys who do all this skiing and stuff in Switzerland,” Dennis Johnson said. “I hear something but I can’t really make it out way up at the top.
“My son, Skylar, said, ‘Dad, you need to hear these kids.’ I heard them chanting but didn’t know what they were chanting. Skylar sent me some videos and they were chanting for Jasper. Then as we were leaving after the game all these kids had these signs and were waiting for Jasper. It was just crazy.
“These were all kids from Switzerland but the (USA) players were like celebrities to them and for them to embrace Jasper was just crazy. It was a really great experience for him. Social media is so big now and these young players are celebrities in the minds of all these young kids.”
Jasper Johnson admitted the attention from the young Swiss fans surprised him.
“It definitely surprised me in a whole other country and the little kids knowing who I am,” the UK freshman said. “They were chanting for me. It was a great experience, a great feeling to have people rooting for me like that and maybe even looking up to me. That meant a lot.”
