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Breaking: Five-Star Guard Jasper Johnson Commits to Kentucky, “I Am Kentucky Til I Die”

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2 years ago

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2025 five-star guard Jasper Johnson has committed to Kentucky, gives Mark Pope his highest-ranked commitment.
UK Athletics

“BOOM!” as Cody Fueger would say, Kentucky has received their second commitment of the 2025 class from five-star Jasper Johnson, who announced his commitment at his former high school in Woodford County on Thursday.

A 6-foot-4 guard and the No. 10 overall recruit in the 2025 class, Johnson is one of the highest-ranked recruits to come from Kentucky in years. While he is from the state and has numerous family ties to the university, it was far from a ‘gimme’ recruitment for the Cats.

Johnson’s father Dennis played football for Kentucky as an All-SEC defensive end for the Wildcats, as did his uncle Derrick as a defensive tackle. His late grandfather, Alvis Johnson, worked at UK as assistant athletics director. All that to say he grew up a North Carolina fan.

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The Tar Heels stayed a threat til the end, along with Alabama. Over the last few weeks, there were varying reports that each school was in the lead. However, the idea of playing at home (along with some additional NIL offers) came out on top in the end.

Johnson joins Malachi Moreno in Kentucky’s 2025 class, and becomes Mark Pope’s highest-ranked commitment of his coaching career. While still early, the duo’s commitments push Kentucky’s 2025 class ranking up to third, per 247Sports.

Scouting Report

A left-handed combo guard with a 6-4, 175-pound frame, Jasper Johnson is a score-first player. With the ability to score from all three levels, Johnson is crafty around the rim and has deep range. With a lot of confidence, he is not afraid to shoot it, sometimes too much, shooting less than 40 percent during Peach Jam this summer. That leads to his shot selection, which needs improvement, and the Kentucky staff believes they can help that by using screens, hand-offs, and cuts, which Johnson often used in EYBL and fits Pope’s offense.

Johnson can also run point and is a good passer, but will need to learn how to impact games when he is off the ball. Defensively, he has good length, with a recorded 6’9 wingspan he can interrupt passing lanes. However, he struggles with more physical guards due to his lean frame.

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Also published on A Sea of Blue.

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BB Recruiting

Kentucky Basketball Receives Prediction to Land International Star Nikola Kusturica

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7 days ago

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June 17, 2026

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Kentucky basketball has taken over as the favorite for Serbian star Nikola Kusturica, a projected lottery pick in 2028, with a prediction backing the Wildcats.

Just when many believed Kentucky’s roster was complete in terms of contributing players, Mark Pope might have an ace up his sleeve.

Last week, it was reported that Kentucky was among the frontrunners to land 6-foot-8 Serbian wing Nikola Kusturica. At the time, Gonzaga was thought to be the team to beat, having a more defined role to offer, compared to Kentucky, who has one remaining roster spot and a good amount of depth in wing positions.

Since then, things have shifted in a big way.

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Gonzaga received a commitment from 18-year-old French guard Juwan Ekanga-Ehawa on Sunday. By Tuesday night, the Wildcats received a Crystal Ball prediction from 247Sports’ Travis Branham to land Kusturica, with a confidence level of 7 out of 10.

The 6-foot-8 wing currently plays for FC Barcelona in Spain’s Liga ACB and EuroLeague system. He just turned 17 years old and is reportedly seeking a two-year college opportunity before becoming draft-eligible in 2028, where he is already being projected as a lottery pick.

The on-court résumé speaks for itself. In the 2025 FIBA U16 EuroBasket, he averaged 20 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.1 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game while leading Serbia to a championship and was named tournament MVP. He also helped Barcelona capture the Adidas NextGen Finals championship last month, posting 20 points and 10 rebounds in the title game against Real Madrid.

Next, Kusturica will represent Serbia in the FIBA U17 World Cup from June 27 to July 5, and a college decision could come before then.

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Mark Pope is carrying a lot of momentum in recent weeks after retaining Malachi Moreno and adding Milan Momcilovic to this season’s roster, as well as landing the first top 10 prospect of his career in Ryan Hampton. If he can close on Kusturica, that would cap off the roster in a significant way and continue to change the narrative around his recruiting ability.

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Kentucky Earns Commitment From No. 6 Prospect in 2027 Class Ryan Hampton

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2 weeks ago

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June 7, 2026

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Photo via UK Athletics


How about a Sunday boom in the recruiting world for you BBN? 

Ryan Hampton, the No. 6 overall prospect in the 2027 class, has officially committed to the University of Kentucky! This is Mark Pope’s first top-10 prospect that he’s earned a commitment from.

Hailing from Rockwall, Texas, Hampton recently took an official visit to campus with his family, which began on Friday, June 5 and spilled into Sunday, June 7, his commitment day. 

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The five-star wing averaged 21.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game during the most recent EYBL Circuit, playing for LivOn and Nightrydas.

Hampton was the first recruit in the 2027 to officially visit with the Wildcats, and now he’s the first to call their shot early and choose the blue and white. 

Pope has signed Milan Momcilovic, the No. 2 ranked transfer, and Hampton, his first top-10 high school prospect just in the past week.

It’s been a crazy week for recruiting, with the narrative around Pope’s ability slowing fading as the top guys continue to be attracted to the Kentucky brand. 

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Fast Riser Big Man Yann Kamagate Receives Scholarship Offer From Kentucky

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1 month ago

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May 18, 2026

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Fresh off the first live recruiting period of the offseason, Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats have extended their first scholarship offer of the 2028 class.

Yann Kamagate, a prospect who went from unranked to the top five in 247Sports’ most recent recruiting rankings, received an offer from the Wildcats, he confirmed to KY Insider on Monday.

“Not everyone gets the chance to be seen by greatness,” Kamagate told KY Insider. “I’m grateful for the offer from Kentucky.”

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Kentucky assistant coach Mikhail McLean, who works with the Wildcats’ big men and their development, watched Kamagate first-hand this past weekend in the Adidas 3SSB circuit in Mishawaka, Indiana.

The 7-foot big man was the talk of the weekend, displaying a high motor, extreme athleticism — a reported 7-9 winspam — and great feel for the game. On the circuit, he is averaging 13.9 points, a circuit-leading 10.4 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game.

Originally from the West African country of Burkina Faso, Kamagate moved to the United States just a year ago and has only been playing basketball for three years. Now, he is challenging for the top spot in the 2028 class.

He is currently represented by former NBA player and UCLA star Luc Mbah a Moute. Which is relevant as he is currently playing for the California Adidas team, Compton Magic, and attends La Cañada Flintridge (Calif.) St. Francis.

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The offer is the latest signal that Mark Pope’s staff is casting a wide and aggressive net this offseason, and targeting players whose trajectories are trending sharply upward. Kamagate fits that profile exactly.

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