Jasper Johnson weighs reclass decision, dreams of the NBA

Lexington’s finest Jasper Johnson is next man up, a hometown standout ready to prove himself on the national stage. And not just in college and the pros, either. It starts with a move to prep powerhouse Link Academy, the 2023 GEICO Nationals champion.

The move to Link Academy

After leading Woodford County to UK HealthCare Boys’ Sweet 16 state basketball tournament for the first time since 1986, Johnson decided it was time to take the next step in his basketball journey. Announcing his transfer back in June, he’ll be joining a loaded roster in Bronson, MO that includes Tre Johnson, Jalen Shelley, James Brown, Labaron Philon and Aaron Rowe, move-in scheduled for August.

“Definitely just playing in front of a lot more eyes, playing a higher level of competition with a national schedule,” Johnson told KSR. “I’m ready to develop myself and see where it goes. It’s going to be great (playing with elite talent), it’s going to be a lot easier for me and my coaches, as well. It’s just going to be very interesting, every day in practice competing with top guys, we’re all going to be helping each other. All of us are going to get better.”

A standout grassroots season

His move comes following a standout grassroots season playing for Team Thad on the Nike EYBL circuit, averaging 12.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 22.6 minutes per contest. He shot 51.0% from the field, 40.3% from three and 83.3% at the line, an efficient all-around scorer who also made plays for others and fought defensively.

What does he think he proved?

“Definitely my IQ,” he said. “I had to take a different role this year playing up an age group, getting off the ball more. Just showing I can play on and off the ball with high-level players. At the next level, I feel like I can accept my role and be great at it. Definitely (improved) off the ball and on the defensive side. I had to guard a lot of better players this year. Being a combo on my team now, I had to play more off the ball so that helped me a lot.”

And where did he see his game grow the most throughout the grassroots basketball cycle from the beginning of spring to the end of the summer? What does he think are his biggest strengths at this point?

“My IQ, for sure. My length helps me a lot and my athleticism,” Johnson added. “I think I can shoot the ball pretty well, but I’m working on a couple of things, obviously. As of right now, those are my strengths.”

NBA dreams

He knows his end goal as a basketball player, the best-case scenario for his future — what he plans to turn into a reality. Things are trending in the right direction and the vision is clear.

“I definitely want to be an NBA player, you know?” he told KSR. “Lottery pick, first pick in the draft, if possible. But I want to be a player who can have multiple contracts if I’m able to get to the NBA.”

He’s developed a tight bond with Louisville native and current Los Angeles Lakers standout D’Angelo Russell — a mentor and close friend. Hanging around the All-Star guard, he’s met and interacted with a long list of pros and brilliant basketball minds who have made it.

Their advice to him as he looks to do the same in the coming years?

“Just don’t get distracted,” he said. “Stay in the gym and be humble, listen to your peers around you and stay dedicated to the game.”

A busy recruitment

So how are things going with his recruitment? He’s added recent offers from Auburn — “I’m very interested in that program, it was a big-time offer for me,” he said — along with Georgia Tech, Kansas, LSU, Florida State and Indiana in June.

Who else is starting to ramp things up?

“A couple of new schools have reached out to me,” Johnson told KSR. “Baylor, Auburn, Ole Miss, a couple of different schools have started reaching out to me. The recruiting process is going good.”

What about official visits? Anything new to report there?

“I don’t have any visits planned as of right now, but I know I’ll be taking some later on in the school year,” he added. “Definitely Kansas, LSU, West Virginia, Auburn, Ole Miss — a couple of different schools.”

What about Kentucky?

And yes, Kentucky remains well in the mix, talking with John Calipari and Orlando Antigua on a consistent basis. The school where his father Dennis Johnson was a star on the gridiron wants him on the hardwood. And they haven’t been shy about making that clear.

“I talk to them probably two to three times a week, Coach Cal and Coach Antigua reach out to me and have conversations with me,” he told KSR. “Coach Cal, he’s talking to me about the new playing style that they have. The past couple of years they haven’t really had the guard play that they wanted, so now he’s trying to get back to the old ways, you know? Letting his guards have freedom to create and win games. That’s what I’m hearing.”

What does it mean to have so many schools — he’s pushing two dozen offers at this point — prioritizing him and making it clear he’s needed?

“I mean, it means a lot to me,” he said. “I want to go somewhere where I’m gonna be able to play you know, show people what I can do at a high level. A staff investing a lot in me at a young age, that means a lot. It gives me that trust that I need to have with a coaching staff.”

A reclass remains on the table

And then there’s the reclassification decision, one that remains firmly up in the air. As things stand today, he’s sticking with his current 2025 class, but he has not ruled out a jump to 2024.

“As of right now, I’m going to be in ’25. But ’24 is always an option,” Johnson told KSR. “I think if I stay in ’25, it’d be good to spend that extra year working on my body. There are a couple of different programs that say they will take me either way, but as of right now, I’ll be a ’25.

“… (Schools wanting me in either class) goes with trust and a coaching staff that really believes in me. Either age group I go with, I know they’ll be happy with it and they’ll use me to the best of my abilities.”

Looking ahead to a decision

What will he be prioritizing when it comes time to make a decision?

“The play style, the trust,” he said. “Just somewhere I can develop myself and be able to show NBA scouts I can be a top prospect. … I feel like I’m better with the ball in my hand, but I feel like I can play off the ball, as well. Ball screens, open space and playing in transition a lot, really. That’s when I’m at my best and play my best.”

Will he be a hometown hero and play for John Calipari in Lexington? Or will he choose one of the 20-plus other strong options he has to choose from? That decision will come down the road. First, though, he’s ready to prove himself and win a national championship at the high school level.