American basketball player
Jasper Johnson (born March 25, 2006) is an American basketball player who plays for team RWE of Overtime Elite .
Early life and high school
Johnson grew up in Lexington, Kentucky and initially attended Woodford County High School .[ 1] He averaged 20.1 points per game as a sophomore.[ 2] Johnson transferred to Link Academy in Branson, Missouri before the start of his junior year.[ 3]
After his junior year, Johnson opted to leave Link Academy to join the Overtime Elite league as a non-professional player for team RWE in order to preserve his collegiate eligibility.[ 4]
Johnson is a consensus top-25 recruit in the 2025 class, according to major recruiting services.[ 5] [ 6] He committed to play college basketball at Kentucky over offers from North Carolina , Alabama , Arkansas , and Louisville .[ 7] [ 8]
National team career
Johnson played for the United States under-18 basketball team at the 2024 FIBA Under-18 AmeriCup .[ 9] He averaged 10.0 points and 2.7 assists per game as the United States won the gold medal.[ 10]
Personal life
Johnson's father, Dennis Johnson , played college football at Kentucky and in the National Football League for the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers .[ 11] His uncle Derrick also played football at Kentucky.[ 12] Johnson's grandfather, Alvis Johnson, played football at Western Kentucky and was the head football and track coach at Harrodsburg High School before serving as an assistant athletic director at Kentucky.[ 13]
References
^ Vaught, Larry (June 23, 2022). "Son of former UK football great is making a name for in hoops" . Jessamine Journal . Retrieved October 31, 2024 .
^ Drummond, Cameron (April 7, 2023). "Year in review: Jasper Johnson continues rise as in-state basketball prospect at Woodford County" . Lexington Herald-Leader . Retrieved October 31, 2024 .
^ Drummond, Cameron (October 9, 2023). "After a summer of change, Jasper Johnson settles in as a five-star prep basketball star" . Lexington Herald-Leader . Retrieved October 31, 2024 .
^ Drummond, Cameron (October 1, 2024). " 'My job is to develop these guys.' How Overtime Elite is preparing Jasper Johnson for UK" . Lexington Herald-Leader . Retrieved October 31, 2024 .
^ Drummond, Cameron (July 18, 2024). "With college commitment looming, UK recruit Jasper Johnson looks to end AAU career on a high" . Lexington Herald-Leader . Retrieved November 1, 2024 .
^ "5-star guard Jasper Johnson lists Arkansas basketball in top 5" . Arkansas Democrat-Gazette . July 24, 2024. Retrieved November 1, 2024 .
^ Borzello, Jeff; Biancardi, Paul (September 5, 2024). "Kentucky beats out UNC, Alabama for Jasper Johnson commitment" . ESPN.com . Retrieved October 31, 2024 .
^ Marks, Brendan (September 5, 2024). "Five-star guard Jasper Johnson commits to Kentucky basketball: What it means for Wildcats" . The Athletic . Retrieved November 1, 2024 .
^ Vaught, Larry (June 6, 2024). "ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla appreciates Jasper Johnson's scoring ability" . The Advocate-Messenger . Retrieved November 1, 2024 .
^ Fisher, Chris (June 10, 2024). "Kentucky targets lead USA to gold medal at FIBA U18 AmeriCup" . 247Sports.com . Retrieved November 1, 2024 .
^ Tucker, Kyle (July 20, 2024). "What's the latest on Jasper Johnson's recruitment, with Kentucky, Alabama, UNC in the mix?" . The Athletic . Retrieved November 1, 2024 .
^ Story, Mark (September 9, 2024). "Inspired by Jasper Johnson, which family can claim to be the 'First Family of UK Sports'?" . Lexington Herald-Leader . Retrieved November 1, 2024 .
^ "Jasper Johnson recruiting: Kentucky target learns lessons with Link" . Courier Journal . February 15, 2024. Retrieved November 1, 2024 .
External links