Top talent Jasper Johnson joins Kentucky basketball team
Lexington native Jasper Johnson, the state’s top-ranked player in the class of 2025, has committed to the University of Kentucky basketball program.
Sam Upshaw, Jr.
LEXINGTON – Mark Pope is off to a bright start in his first full recruiting cycle as Kentucky basketball coach.
After five-star combo guard (and UK legend) Jasper Johnson committed on September 5th, joining Malachi Moreno, the Wildcats became the first school in the country to have two top-40 prospects in their class of 2025. And that’s true regardless of which recruiting service you use, be it Rivals or 247Sports, On3 or ESPN.
UK’s class is ranked No. 2 nationally in the 247Sports Composite rankings and is the top-ranked SEC school.
Kentucky being so close to the top of the team standings is nothing new: Former coach John Calipari made it a habit during his 15-year tenure in Lexington. Calipari, now at Arkansas, signed the country’s top-ranked class in the 247Sports Composite rankings eight times during his time at UK: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2020 and 2023.
Under Calipari, the Wildcats have finished in the top two classes every year, with one exception: In 2022, they were No. 5.
After Pope took the helm in April, UK’s class of 2024 finished 45th in the national championship, a haul of two members including two in-state superstars: Travis Perry (of Lyon County) and Trent Noah (of Harlan County).
Even if the Wildcats fail to sign another player in 2025, this year’s class will likely rank significantly higher than 2024.
Moreno, who plays for Great Crossing High in Georgetown, got the ball rolling on Aug. 16 when he became the first player to commit for 2025. Johnson joined less than a month later, announcing his commitment during a ceremony at his former high school, Woodford County.
Be sure to bookmark this page as the Courier Journal will post regular updates as Pope and Co. receive additional commitments from prospects for 2025:
Position: Combi-guard
Secondary school: Extension Elite (Atlanta)
247Sports Composite Rating: 5 stars
Status of commitment: Written on 5 September
What you should know: Jasper Johnson, a Lexington native, committed to Kentucky on Sept. 5 during a ceremony at his former high school, Woodford County in Versailles. At various points in Johnson’s recruitment, Alabama and North Carolina were considered leaders. But in the weeks leading up to his announcement, Pope and his staff rallied — and finally got Johnson’s commitment. He’s a UK legacy: His father is Dennis Johnson, a Wildcats defensive standout who now serves as athletic director and head coach of the Woodford County football team. Jasper’s grandfather, the late Alvis Johnson, was the longtime head football coach (1974-1997) at Harrodsburg High (which merged with Mercer County in 2006) and later worked as an assistant athletic director at UK. Jasper led Woodford County to the 2023 KHSAA Sweet 16 – the school’s first appearance in the event since 1986. He left Woodford County last season to play for nationally-powerful team Link Academy. He will play his final season of high school basketball in the Overtime Elite League in Atlanta. Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN consider Johnson a five-star talent, and On3 has given him four stars. According to the 247Sports Composite, Johnson is a five-star prospect and ranks No. 10 nationally and No. 2 among shooting guards in 2025.
Position: center
Secondary school: Great Crossing (Georgetown)
247Sports Composite Rating: 4 stars
Status of commitment: Written on 16 August
What you should know: Malachi Moreno was the first player in the class of 2025 to choose Kentucky. He committed to Pope and the Wildcats on August 16. He was Kentucky’s top player with 491 rebounds during the 2023-24 season. Moreno grabbed 13.3 rebounds per game, ranking seventh among qualified players. Moreno also had a game in which he grabbed 25 rebounds and 24 points. Moreno enters his final season at Great Crossing with 1,638 points, 1,378 rebounds, 461 blocks and 62 double-doubles (in 105 games) in his high school career. He also has four triple-doubles, all with double-digit scores in points, rebounds and blocks. Moreno is a widely recognized four-star prospect and receives that rating from the four major recruiting services: Rivals, 247Sports, On3 and ESPN. According to the 247Sports Composite, Moreno is the No. 26 player in the country in the class of 2025 and ranks No. 2 among centers.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
