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Jasper Johnson is the highest ranked high school recruit that Kentucky coach Mark Pope has been able to sign. The 6-foot-5 guard was a five-star recruit who grew up in Lexington, won a gold medal with USA Basketball last summer and was expected to be a major contributor for coach Mark Pope’s team this season.
However, he played only two minutes against Indiana and eight against St. John’s in Kentucky’s win. Earlier in the season, he got only six minutes against Louisville, 13 against Michigan State, five against North Carolina and 18 against Gonzaga, all Kentucky losses.
Johnson did have 22 points on 6-for-10 shooting from the field and 8-for-8 at the foul line in 22 minutes against North Carolina Central.
He got a chance to play 22 minutes in Tuesday’s win over Bellarmine and responded with 11 points on 4-for-8 shooting from the field, including 3-for-5 from 3. He had a turnover not long after coming into the game and then did not commit another miscue. He also had seven assists, three rebounds and one blocked shot.
“I am always comfortable. Coach is always telling me to make plays for teammates, so I am just doing whatever I can to make plays and communicate with my guys and make sure they are in the right spots and build from there,” Johnson said after the win.
Johnson is probably a more natural two-guard but got extended minutes at point guard against Bellarmine because Jaland Lowe did not play to rest his shoulder.
Johnson said coach Mark Pope tells him to be ready at any time.
“I am always in the gym just working on my craft. I know if he (Lowe) goes down, I am the next man up. I am just always making sure I am ready. He is talking to me and I am always talking to him. He is being a great leader,” Johnson said.
Johnson has always been a prolific scorer but he has 37 assists — second most on the team — in just 207 minutes. That’s one assist about every 5.5 minutes he’s been on the court. He also has 16 3-pointers, fourth best on the team, and is shooting 37 percent from 3.
Pope continually tells Johnson to be “decisive” with his decisions.
“That is something he is always telling me to be decisive. He thinks that I am one of the best playmakers on this team and I just have to go out there and make plays for my teammates,” the UK freshman said.
Pope thought Johnson was “good” against Bellarmine other than the first possession when he turned the ball over when the coach felt he was tentative.
“I thought he was really good for us, getting downhill,” Pope said after the win. “Even in the second half, he got downhill, and maybe was a little bit too greedy with his opportunity to make plays with his teammates. [He] really fought the gap through three guys, but he was strong enough with the ball to win it and earn a foul.
“I thought Jasper was really good. I had a lot of confidence in him today on the offensive end.”
Pope felt Johnson was the first player to exploit Bellarmine’s zone defense in the first half.
“Where it was mucky early, Jasper was the one who made us feel like this is going to be fun,” Pope said. “We’ll score against this. Both halves, against the zone, the guys were 46 and 53 points each half, which was pretty consistent. A lot of that goes to Jasper.”
5 Responses
Jasper Johnson is going to be a great player. The academy he went to helps and hurts your game. You get to work on different parts of your game more but I think the bad thing about it is it takes a players winning spirit away from them. It's not basketball in its natural form. It's like creating basketball players out of warehouse. They play like robots. Jasper will probably end up being the starting point guard the rest of the way barring another set back from Lowe it's just a matter of time. I honestly think the further they push Lowes surgery the longer he's going to continue to do the same thing. Miss 2-3 games play a game miss a game play a game. He should have had surgery before the year started when he first injured it. Now I doubt he ever really plays for us. If you get the surgery now he might be able to play next year when confrence play starts. Maybe a little before that. I would go ahead and get the kid the surgery.
I think Pope decide not get a back up guard at mid term is give Johnson to shine at that position.
Johnson will be the starting point guard after the Bama game.
I agree. If Lowe does come back he will be hurt very quickly. If he doesn't he can still have a good season but with him really needing surgery and they knew this at the start of the season why didn't they have the surgery and redshirt him this year. They still can if he doesn't play I'm anymore games. They need to play Johnson and get him used to being the point guard. He will end up being the starter the rest of the way. He might even be the starter next year there unless Pope brings in a big name point guard. I would get the 2-3 best point guards you can get in the portal. I would go after South Carolinas starting point guard he's a freshman Eli Ellis. I would also try to get Magwood to come back to Kentucky after signing with Auburn. Both are good freshman point guards one we missed in our own backyard. Point guard is supposed to be the position that is the easiest to recruit.
Where do you see 5* Larry? The highest I seen him was ranked #33 for rivals. 247 has him #35 both high 4*. ESPN has him also a high 4*. Moreno is a high 4*. Hawthorne is actually ranked higher on the composite and on 247.
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