We knew Jasper Johnson could score. That was the headline when he committed. "Lethal shooter." "Slippery to the rim." He was a one man fast break at times, and he could also be a little bit of a microwave. He was always going to get his shots up though.
But six games into his Kentucky career, the local product is showing us something much more valuable: He is a playmaker on a team that really needs it.
Mark Pope couldn't hide his excitement when talking about Johnson's recent growth in practice, specifically highlighting his ability to process the game at high speed.
"What he's done in the last few practices... could have been some really complicated decision making spaces," Pope said. "And he's been able to deliver balls on time with incredible accuracy cross court."
The numbers back it up
Johnson isn't just a practice player. He is filling up the stat sheet in ways that impact winning right now.
2025-26 Season Stats:
- PTS: 7.5
- AST: 3.5
- REB: 2.2
- FG%: 38.5%
Averaging 3.5 assists as a freshman scoring guard is legitimate. It means he isn't just hunting his own shot; he's reading the floor. That shooting percantage has to creep up, the freshman is prone to taking a few bad shots. But in the vein of Rob Dillingham sometimes you have to live with that, because sometimes it is absolutely brilliant.
"Hard for everybody to guard"
Pope noted that Johnson is still "getting accustomed to the physicality," which explains the sub-40% shooting from the field. But the tools are undeniable.
"He's really slippery to the rim," Pope added. "It’s hard for everybody to guard, for sure."
As Kentucky heads into a stretch of games against elite competition, having a freshman who can create for others, not just himself, might be the X-factor this offense desperately needs with Jaland Lowe out.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoys downtime with his family and Premier League soccer. You can find him on X here. Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion