Jasper Johnson
{{Short description|American basketball player}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Jasper Johnson
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| team = RWE
| number =
| position = Point guard/shooting guard
| league = Overtime Elite
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| weight_lb = 170
| birth_date = {{bda|2006|3|25}}
| birth_place = Lexington, Kentucky
| high_school =
- Woodford County
(Versailles, Kentucky) - Link Academy
(Branson, Missouri) - Overtime Elite Academy
(Atlanta, Georgia)
| college = Kentucky (commit)
| highlights =
| medal_templates = {{MedalSport|Men's basketball}}
{{MedalCountry|the {{bk|USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|FIBA U19 World Cup}}
{{MedalGold|2025 Switzerland|Team}}
{{MedalCompetition|FIBA Under-18 AmeriCup}}
{{MedalGold|2024 Argentina|Team}}
}}
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.{{cite web|url=https://www.jessaminejournal.com/2022/06/23/son-of-former-uk-football-great-is-making-a-name-for-himself-in-hoops/|title=Son of former UK football great is making a name for in hoops|first=Larry|last=Vaught|work=Jessamine Journal|date=June 23, 2022|access-date=October 31, 2024}} He averaged 20.1 points per game as a sophomore.{{cite web|url=https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-recruiting/article273366415.html|title=Year in review: Jasper Johnson continues rise as in-state basketball prospect at Woodford County|first=Cameron|last=Drummond|work=Lexington Herald-Leader|date=April 7, 2023|access-date=October 31, 2024}} Johnson transferred to Link Academy in Branson, Missouri before the start of his junior year.{{cite web|url=https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-recruiting/article280195249.html|title=After a summer of change, Jasper Johnson settles in as a five-star prep basketball star|first=Cameron|last=Drummond|work=Lexington Herald-Leader|date=October 9, 2023|access-date=October 31, 2024}}
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.{{cite web|url=https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-recruiting/article293221704.html|title=‘My job is to develop these guys.’ How Overtime Elite is preparing Jasper Johnson for UK.|first=Cameron|last=Drummond|work=Lexington Herald-Leader|date=October 1, 2024|access-date=October 31, 2024}}
Johnson is a consensus top-25 recruit in the 2025 class, according to major recruiting services.{{cite web|url=https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-recruiting/article289815499.html|title=With college commitment looming, UK recruit Jasper Johnson looks to end AAU career on a high|first=Cameron|last=Drummond|work=Lexington Herald-Leader|date=July 18, 2024|access-date=November 1, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2024/jul/24/5-star-jasper-johnson-arkansas-basketball-finalist-recruiting/|title=5-star guard Jasper Johnson lists Arkansas basketball in top 5|work=Arkansas Democrat-Gazette|date=July 24, 2024|access-date=November 1, 2024}} He committed to play college basketball at Kentucky over offers from North Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, and Louisville.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/41137230/kentucky-beats-unc-alabama-jasper-johnson-commitment|title=Kentucky beats out UNC, Alabama for Jasper Johnson commitment|first1=Jeff|last1=Borzello|first2=Paul|last2=Biancardi|authorlink2=Paul Biancardi|website=ESPN.com|date=September 5, 2024|access-date=October 31, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5747191/2024/09/05/jasper-johnson-kentucky-basketball/|title=Five-star guard Jasper Johnson commits to Kentucky basketball: What it means for Wildcats|first=Brendan|last=Marks|website=The Athletic|date=September 5, 2024|access-date=November 1, 2024}}
National team career
Johnson played for the United States under-18 basketball team at the 2024 FIBA Under-18 AmeriCup.{{cite web|url=https://www.amnews.com/2024/06/06/espn-analyst-fran-fraschilla-appreciates-jasper-johnsons-scoring-ability/|title=ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla appreciates Jasper Johnson's scoring ability|first=Larry|last=Vaught|work=The Advocate-Messenger|date=June 6, 2024|access-date=November 1, 2024}} He averaged 10.0 points and 2.7 assists per game as the United States won the gold medal.{{cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/kentucky/article/kentucky-basketball-recruiting-mark-pope-fiba-u18-americup--232748913/|title=Kentucky targets lead USA to gold medal at FIBA U18 AmeriCup|first=Chris|last=Fisher|website=247Sports.com|date=June 10, 2024|access-date=November 1, 2024}}
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.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5648621/2024/07/20/jasper-johnson-recruiting-kentucky-alabama-north-carolina/|title=What’s the latest on Jasper Johnson’s recruitment, with Kentucky, Alabama, UNC in the mix?|first=Kyle|last=Tucker|website=The Athletic|date=July 20, 2024|access-date=November 1, 2024}} His uncle Derrick also played football at Kentucky.{{cite web|url=https://www.kentucky.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/mark-story/article292187930.html|title=Inspired by Jasper Johnson, which family can claim to be the ‘First Family of UK Sports’?|first=Mark|last=Story|work=Lexington Herald-Leader|date=September 9, 2024|access-date=November 1, 2024}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/preps/kentucky/2024/02/15/jasper-johnson-kentucky-basketball-louisville-link-academy-recruiting-john-calipari/71790328007/|title=Jasper Johnson recruiting: Kentucky target learns lessons with Link|work=Courier Journal|date=February 15, 2024|access-date=November 1, 2024}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://overtimeelite.com/players/100b690e-bef8-4c17-9579-f48b024ba39b Overtime Elite profile]
- [https://www.usab.com/players/jasper-johnson USA Basketball profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Jasper}}
Category:American men's basketball players