Top-ranked prospect Jasper Johnson commits to Kentucky basketball
Lexington native Jasper Johnson, the top-ranked player in the state in the 2025 class, commits to the University of Kentucky basketball program.
Sam Upshaw Jr.
VERSAILLES — Mark Pope and his first-year Kentucky basketball coaching staff are 2 for 2 keeping the best 2025 prospects the Bluegrass has to offer from leaving the state’s borders.
Jasper Johnson, the top-ranked player in the state in the 2025 class, committed to UK on Thursday. He picked Kentucky over his four other finalists: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisville and North Carolina. Johnson announced his commitment to the Wildcats during a Thursday afternoon ceremony at the Woodford County High School gym.
He’s a UK legacy: Johnson is the son of star defensive lineman Dennis Johnson, who now is Woodford County’s athletics director and head football coach. A Lexington native, the younger Johnson led Woodford County to the KHSAA Sweet 16 in 2023, marking the school’s first appearance in the event since 1986.
“This is where I really started. … Whenever my dad got the job here, this was like my second home,” Jasper said. “I grew up in Lexington, but this is not too far away. A lot of long nights in the gym and early mornings, too.”
Johnson joins fellow Kentuckian Malachi Moreno, Great Crossing’s superstar center, as UK pledges in the 2025 cycle.
Johnson is among the country’s top players in the 2025 class, garnering five-star ratings from Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN and four stars from On3. Johnson is a five-star prospect per the 247Sports Composite, ranking No. 10 nationally — and No. 2 among shooting guards — in 2025.
He left Woodford County to play for national powerhouse Link Academy last season.
Johnson will spend his final high school basketball season playing in the Overtime Elite league in Atlanta.
Jasper Johnson joining the fold Thursday had a multitude of meaning for the Wildcats.
First and foremost: UK, for the moment, has the top-ranked recruiting class in the SEC for the 2025 cycle, per the 247Sports Composite rankings. Kentucky is No. 2 nationally; its score (52.17) trails only Iowa State (57.19). The biggest difference: The Cyclones have three commitments to the Wildcats’ two (even if they’re a dynamic duo).
No team with multiple commitments, however, has a better average than Kentucky’s 99.21. The only school with a better average has just one 2025 pledge: That’s Arkansas and former UK coach John Calipari. The Razorbacks’ average sits at 99.67 thanks to the commitment of five-star point guard Darius Acuff Jr.
Beyond proving Mark Pope‘s (and his staff’s) recruiting chops and ability to lock down blue-chip talent in the Bluegrass State (on the heels of signing in-state stars Trent Noah and Travis Perry in the 2024 cycle), pairing Johnson with Moreno gives the Wildcats backcourt and frontcourt additions for the 2025-26 roster.
Landing two of the country’s consensus top-40 players in 2025 is a claim no other school can make, as of Sept. 5.
That’s momentum.
It’s also a helpful recruiting pitch for other 2025 prospects considering the Wildcats. Thursday showed that Pope is building a solid foundation for the future. And it might embolden other highly touted players in the 2025 class to jump on board, too.
Though Alabama and North Carolina heavily recruited him, Johnson said it was simple: Kentucky is “where my heart was really at” as he sifted through his options.
“I always wanted to be able to play for the University of Kentucky,” he said. “So now that I’m here, with this opportunity to do it, that’s really what gave me the (comfort level) with Kentucky.”
His father concurred.
“I think, deep to his core, man, he’s a Kentucky fan,” Dennis said. “So all the things checked out. (North Carolina coach) Hubert Davis was great. (Alabama coach) Nate Oats was great. We talked to those guys every night and they were great people.
“But I said, ‘You’ve gotta do what’s in your heart.’ All things (were) considered: the basketball. Who’s going to make you better? Where do you want to be? He just wanted to be in Kentucky. So when we put all the pluses and minuses on the table, man, Kentucky was it.”
With his son’s recruitment finally over, the elder Johnson admitted afterward it just “feels good” to focus on the future.
“We went through the process, and luckily, I’ve been able to go through it before,” Dennis said. “So just kind of taking him through it, the pluses and minuses, the highs and lows. He was excited. The last few days, he’s kind of been (focusing) on UK and wanted to do it.
“And so (I said), ‘Well, if you’re ready to do it, you’re ready to do it.’ A lot comes with it. You’re from here. Kentucky fans expect a lot. But he’s excited about it, and we’re going to support him as a family. We’re ready to go.
Note: The four national recruiting databases are split on Jasper Johnson’s position. Rivals and ESPN list him as a point guard, while he’s categorized as a shooting guard by 247Sports and On3.
Also, since Johnson is playing his senior season at Overtime Elite in Atlanta, 247Sports and On3 consider him a Georgia prospect, while ESPN lists him as a Kentucky prospect because of his hometown (Lexington).
Jasper has come in and already impressed coaches and basketball staff in the few short weeks he’s been here. He’s an incredible scorer, and with the resources of Overtime Elite at his disposal, he’s in the perfect place to continue to get stronger and develop his impact off the ball.
Damien Wilkins, general manager and head of basketball at Overtime Elite
When I was recruiting Jasper, I was continually impressed by his ability to score at all levels. He’s going to come in and make an impact right away in a very competitive environment and will continue to get stronger and hone his basketball IQ as he spends this next season at OTE.
Aki Collins, head of scouting, recruiting and retention at Overtime Elite
This story will be updated.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
