Kentucky fans need to not panic if the Wildcats miss on five-star Jasper Johnson

Could Kentucky miss on five-star Jasper Johnson?

Team Thad’s Jasper Johnson (2) dunks the ball on a fast break during a game against Team Bradley Beal Elite during the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League session one on Friday, April 26, 2024 at the Memphis Sports & Event Center in Memphis, Tenn. / Stu Boyd II-The Commercial Appeal / USA

There aren't often a ton of elite recruits that come out of Kentucky, but that has not been the case in the 2023, 2024 and 2025 classes. In the 2023 class, Kentucky landed Reed Sheppard, who was just drafted third overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. In the 2024 class, Kentucky landed four-star Travis Perry and Trent Noah, who are both from Kentucky.

Rankings-wise, this 2025 class in the state of Kentucky is even better, as you have two five-stars in Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno. It sounds like the Kentucky coaching staff is in a good spot with Moreno, but it also sounds like they are playing from behind in the recruitment of Johnson.

Alabama and North Carolina are making a hard push at Johnson, and the Wildcats are behind these two schools. Now, recruiting is fluid, and day by day, things can change.

While it would be painful for Coach Mark Pope not to land a player who grew up 30 minutes from Rupp Arena and whose dad played football at Kentucky, Big Blue Nation needs to not panic.

Recruiting is about building relationships, and Coach Pope is behind in this race as he has only been in Lexington for a few months. Some Kentucky fans will be upset if Johnson goes elsewhere, and this is understandable, but Coach Pope is going to prove to be an elite recruiter.

Johnson has not made a decision yet, and Coach Pope can still make a push, but at the moment, it looks like the Wildcats have a ways to go to land one of the best shooters in the 2025 class.