Jasper Johnson was torn on decision 'for about a month straight'

At some point over the last few months, all three of Kentucky, Alabama, and North Carolina were considered the favorites to land the commitment of five-star guard Jasper Johnson. Or, that’s at least how it was made out to be on social media and message boards. Was there really a jostling on the leaderboard between these three programs on a week-by-week basis? Or was there one clear favorite all along?

Ultimately, Johnson picked Kentucky, with the Wildcats emerging as the favorite just two weeks before the announcement. But Johnson himself confirmed this was no easy decision. There was a stretch of time when he legitimately did not know which college to choose.

“It was a lot that went into it,” Johnson told KSR after committing to UK. “I know each program has something to offer that maybe another one doesn’t. Just cutting down my list, it was hard. I’d say for about a month straight I really couldn’t find a (difference in) one of the three programs. Just sitting down, praying to God, talking to my family about it, I feel like Kentucky was the best fit for me.”

It wasn’t a huge surprise to see Johnson pick the ‘Cats. There are endless connections between himself, his family, and the University of Kentucky. His dad and uncle played football at UK, his late grandfather was an administrator at the school, his mom is a Yeast, etc. But Johnson was also born in Lexington and raised in nearby Versailles. He’s seen several games inside of Rupp Arena and grew up around the Wildcats.

I mean, the backdrop for Johnson’s commitment ceremony were advertisements from Morgan & Morgan and Paul Miller Ford — two significant NIL partners with UK. If you didn’t know he was going to choose Kentucky before stepping into the Woodford County High School gym, you sure did once you got a look at the setup.

But in the end, it’s hard to take a Kentucky kid out of Kentucky. Reed Sheppard, Travis Perry, Trent Noah, and Malachi Moreno couldn’t do it. And neither could Jasper Johnson, even if the other options were appealing. Remember, Alabama was his first Division I offer and he grew up cheering for North Carolina (and yes — Kentucky, too).

“Coming down to it, it was kinda hard,” Johnson said. “I was very in between these other schools but I really feel like my heart wanted to be at Kentucky. That’s what really sold me.”

Subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel for press conferences, interviews, original shows, fan features, and exclusive content.