Jasper Johnson

CELTICAT

Heisman
May 21, 2002
19,404
19,365
113
He's not good. I was as fooled as anyone when he was coming out of high school. I was very excited to get him at Kentucky, but it's just not clicked at this level. I can't put my finger on it, but he sucks.

I think last season crushed his spirit. go watch his highlights from the Purdue exhibition. He did not suck then, so what happened?

teams figured out his lack of ball handling and it, apparently, wasn’t something he could fix off the court.
 
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CutNets

Junior
Jan 13, 2026
96
233
33
I think last season crushed his spirit. go watch his highlights from the Purdue exhibition. He did not suck then, so what happened?

teams figured out his lack of ball handling and it, apparently, wasn’t something he could fix off the court.

Yep, and according to his uncle he's really really good. Except he sucks, so his uncle can shove it up his ***.
 

Smeegs

All-Conference
Nov 19, 2025
1,253
3,635
113
I think last season crushed his spirit. go watch his highlights from the Purdue exhibition. He did not suck then, so what happened?
His game is fool’s gold. He is a talented scorer, so it’s easy to be fooled into thinking he’s better than he actually is when you first see him have one of those brief scoring sprees.

But the more you watch him the more it becomes obvious that he sucks at EVERYTHING else besides scoring. Awful court vision, awful passer, awful defender, and can’t dribble against pressure.

Honestly he’d probably fit best at a little mid major like EKU or Morehead where he could be the No. 1 offensive option. Then his flaws would be better hidden and he could just focus on scoring points.
 

Jtf2217

All-Conference
Apr 20, 2024
1,029
2,009
113
Only played 10 min too, but Pope wasn't playing him according to daddy. So is oregon the problem too, or is Jasper just not at that level.
It's okay nothing to be ashamed a lot of kids are HS superstars... Jasper needs to go to a lower level of basketball I'm sorry but it is what it is.
He received good NIL and is a low D1 talent. A lot better than most kids growing up.
 

Bleedin Blue in Ohio

All-Conference
Feb 3, 2013
522
1,096
93
I understand his family said a few things. I am not going to knock the kid. I do think there is talent there. I think he has 2 problems he needs to focus on to be who he and his family thinks he is. 1) He must get stronger. He plays too weak 2) He is a 2-guard type player with a point guard body. He can shoot the ball and has potential to be a high-volume scorer if he can improve his strength.
 

UKSanders

Senior
Aug 27, 2007
437
863
93
I understand his family said a few things. I am not going to knock the kid. I do think there is talent there. I think he has 2 problems he needs to focus on to be who he and his family thinks he is. 1) He must get stronger. He plays too weak 2) He is a 2-guard type player with a point guard body. He can shoot the ball and has potential to be a high-volume scorer if he can improve his strength.

I try ink his #1 issue is lack of ball handling. If he could really have the ball on a string, he could be dangerous with his quickness even in spite of his lack of strength.

Honestly, lack of ball handling was the main thing holding back several players on last year’s roster…Kam Williams, Chandler, Jasper.

Because it makes them easy to defend if they cannot create their own shots. Hopefully, Kam has dribbled the leather off some balls this off-season. It’s the single biggest individual skill I would’ve had him honing while his mobility was limited.
 
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Aug 23, 2024
3,257
6,924
113
I understand his family said a few things. I am not going to knock the kid. I do think there is talent there. I think he has 2 problems he needs to focus on to be who he and his family thinks he is. 1) He must get stronger. He plays too weak 2) He is a 2-guard type player with a point guard body. He can shoot the ball and has potential to be a high-volume scorer if he can improve his strength.
I think attitude and work ethic are his biggest issues. He is too weak, his ballhandling is poor, and his defense sucks but I think that goes back to the original issues I listed. If he gets his head straight he might become a player eventually but until then he is a liability.
 

The Ganner

All-Conference
Nov 21, 2009
456
1,254
93
I think last season crushed his spirit. go watch his highlights from the Purdue exhibition. He did not suck then, so what happened?

teams figured out his lack of ball handling and it, apparently, wasn’t something he could fix off the court.
Purdue just did not play defense that game. In the back of my mind as everyone celebrated was that we still needed to see how we looked against someone who actually got in our face... and we found out the next game.
 

Beatle Bum

Heisman
Sep 1, 2002
43,703
66,506
113
Johnson did not show me he was a PG. I was surprised when he said Oregon recruited him to play PG. with a stronger frame and some good tough experience, he could be a really good 2G. He just never got much of that at UK due to injuries and need.
 

bleedsblue5

All-Conference
Jul 1, 2025
547
1,178
93
He had flashes, but man that ball handling should have been addressed by - SOMEONE. Coaching staff, him, his uncle - SOMEONE.

2 guard is likely his best spot, that and he needs to gain some muscle. But with an uncle like that, I am sure they pumped him with the it's not you it's them mentality and instead of working on his game and somehow they thought transferring could hide it.
 
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3 Putts

All-Conference
Apr 25, 2025
1,848
4,291
112
Kid was way overrated! Glad he’s gone. Mo was just as bad!
Mo was 8.8/5.5 and 54% in 21 mpg, just looked like Wheeler hitting the top of the backboard on his 3’s. I think saying he was just as bad is a stretch as he was a valuable cog in that Ferrari.
 

Wildcat_in_DC

All-Conference
Nov 25, 2025
1,227
2,066
113
just 10min for a 2nd year 5 star on a team without much talent in an exhibition game you are supposed to win easily......thats not good
 
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Wunky

Heisman
Jan 16, 2021
4,480
18,739
78
I don’t think Pope even wanted him. He did not fit Pope’s style or plan at all. But the fanbase would have thrown a **** fit if he had committed elsewhere. I’m not trying to imply that Pope is some elite recruiter. But if you don’t think our fanbase basically forced him to waste time and resources just because this kid was local and highly rated, you’re naive.
 

Cats4321

All-Conference
Nov 18, 2025
1,106
3,154
113
I think attitude and work ethic are his biggest issues. He is too weak, his ballhandling is poor, and his defense sucks but I think that goes back to the original issues I listed. If he gets his head straight he might become a player eventually but until then he is a liability.
Exactly. He didn't even seem to care last year. He looked more interested in making a few highlights for himself than actually playing team basketball. We've never had a player who made me as angry as JJ. I'm not a guy who bashes player, but he made it difficult for me to stick to that.
 
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