Jasper Johnson graduates from OTE ahead of Kentucky career

Add another accolade to Jasper Johnson‘s long list of them at the high school level before he makes his transition back home to Lexington as a Kentucky Wildcat. This one, however, undoubtedly means the most to his parents, Dennis and Nyoka — and the rest of the Johnson family.

Friday was Graduation Day for the 6-4 guard out of the 859, earning his diploma from Overtime Elite alongside his loved ones in Atlanta.

“Family,” he wrote on social media, sharing photos from the day at OTE. The future Wildcat and current sneakerhead looked the part in his graduation gown, go-to Jordans and Jasper Johnson chain, dressed for success as he moves past the high school chapters of his life including stops at Woodford County, Link Academy, and OTE to call it a career at this level.

Johnson is the second OTE graduate set to make his way to Kentucky in recent years, joining fellow scoring guard Rob Dillingham from the HS class of 2023. The latter did just fine in his transition, becoming one of the most electric players in college basketball two seasons ago en route to top-10 draft status. Will the Lexington native do the same?

Mark Pope certainly expects him to play up to that level.

“I think Jasper Johnson is a superstar. I expect him to come in here and be great,” Pope said this past week. “And for every freshman, there is a learning curve in terms of the physicality and intensity of the game, the relentless physicality and intensity of the game. But Jasper Johnson has got a really, really incredible skill set. He’s one of those guys.

“There are very few players who just go get a shot whenever they want it. He can do it. He’s got an ability to get skinny and kind of do things defensively that are going to be surprising. I think he’s got an incredible upside on the defensive side of the ball, also. I think he’s got a crafty, slippery nature where he can get downhill.”

His future head coach not only believes Johnson can be a superstar, he demands it. They recruited him to be that kind of player — no training wheels just because he grew up right down the street from campus.

“He’s got a poise about him,” Pope said. “He’s a little bit unflappable. He’s able to kind of metabolize a lot of input and kind of keep himself even-keeled. I think he’s a big shot maker. I expect him to be, like he needs to come here and be great, and that’s what he wants to do. That’s what we want from him.”

Johnson sits at No. 25 overall and No. 9 among shooting guards in the 2025 On3 Industry Ranking, joining fellow top-30 prospect Malachi Moreno among high school additions for Kentucky.

With graduation now behind him, Johnson turns his attention toward the college move-in process in early June. The Cats will be in town before you know it, Big Blue Nation.