One of the biggest recruitments in the early stages of the Mark Pope era at Kentucky could be nearing an end.
Jasper Johnson, a local 5-star prospect, is nearing a decision and it could potentially come after Peach Jam. Peach Jam is the Championship event for the Nike EYBL Circuit and takes place over the next week.
According to on3.com national reporter Joe Tipton, a 'commitment is nearing and a decision is expected after Peach Jam'.
The main programs involved with Johnson over the recent months are North Carolina, Alabama and Kentucky. Illinois, Arkansas and others are involved as well but likely behind the trio of schools above.
Mark Pope has made Johnson a priority target since taking over three months ago. He showed that when he traveled to the FIBA U18 AmeriCup in Argentina earlier this month to watch Johnson in action.
Johnson is originally from Woodford County (Ky.) but transferred to national powerhouse program Link Academy (Mo.) last year.
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."
Pope has made it a priority to key in-state kids coming to Lexington. While Johnson isn't in the state now, he's very much a local prospect. It'll be interesting to see if Pope can reel him in, or if he'll lose him to an SEC rival or another blue blood program.