2025 5-star and in-state priority recruit taking next step with visit on deck to Kentucky

Kentucky and one of its priority recruiting targets are taking the next step in their relationship.

Five-star 2025 target Jasper Johnson will be on campus in Lexington this week to visit with new head coach Mark Pope.

According to 247Sports national reporter Travis Branham, Johnson will meet with Pope and the new Kentucky staff on Tuesday.

This will be Johnson's second visit to Kentucky this year, taking an official visit back in February. But, this will be the first time having a true sit down conversation with the new staff.

Mark Pope has made Johnson a priority target since taking over two months ago. He showed that when he traveled to the FIBA U18 AmeriCup in Argentina earlier this month to watch Johnson in action.

Johnson was a critical part of Team USA's success in winning Gold, scoring 19 points and making four 3s off the bench in the Gold Medal game.

Johnson is originally from Woodford County (Ky.) but transferred to national powerhouse program Link Academy (Mo.) last year.

With Johnson's recruitment national, Mark Pope knows the importance of solidifying his relationship with the prized recruit.

Keeping in-state players in Kentucky is a point of emphasis for Pope and his recruiting staff. He did so with Travis Perry and Trent Noah -- two big time scorers in their Kentucky high school careers. But, keeping a top-10 player in Kentucky would be a massive win in his short time on the recruiting trail for Kentucky.

Johnson is ranked No. 10 in the 247Sports class of 2025 rankings and the No. 2 combo guard. The 6-foot-5 prospect is a dynamic scorer who can play on or off the ball. His athleticism allows him to play above the rim on either end of the floor and excel in transition or attacking the basket.

"Jasper Johnson is a southpaw scoring guard who has spurts of extreme tough shot-making when he gets hot," 247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein wrote. "He has a super soft natural touch and is very crafty around the lane with a deep bag of runners, floaters, and other types of finishes, in addition to the jumpers and step-backs he’s capable of making from the perimeter. Physically, Johnson is lean, but he’s very long with a recorded +5 wingspan.

"In addition to building up his body, he also needs to learn to impact the game more when the ball isn’t in his hands, or more specifically, when he’s not on one of his scoring sprees."

Johnson is still a ways out from a commitment so the timing of this visit is critical. If Pope and the rest of his staff can get the confidence from Johnson and his family on Tuesday, it could go a long way in setting the program up for a potential recruitment when it's all said and done. The 'hometown hero' type pitch could be extremely impactful.