Kentucky is trending for two elite in-state basketball recruits in the 2025 class

Will Mark Pope land these two elite 2025 recruits?

Team Thad’s Jasper Johnson (2) dunks the ball during a game against Team Oak Soldiers during the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League session one on Saturday, April 27, 2024 at the Memphis Sports & Event Center in Memphis, Tenn. / Stu Boyd II-The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Coach Mark Pope has offered a ton of talented players in the 2025 class, but there are two players who really stand out in this recruiting class. Those recruits are the Kentucky kids Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno.

Johnson is ranked as the 10th best player in the class by 247Sports composite rankings. Moreno is close behind Johnson ranked as the 26th best player in the 247Sports composite rankings.

Moreno plays at Great Crossing High School in Georgetown, so he is still in the state. Johnson grew up in Kentucky but recently made the move to play for Overtime Elite in Atlanta to finish up high school ball before the move to college.

When a really good high school basketball recruit walks through the state of Kentucky, the Wildcats can't let them get away. That is the case for Coach Pope with Johnson and Moreno.

Kentucky is in a lot better position for Moreno than they are Johnson. It would come as a bit of a shock if Moreno went elsewhere but the recruitment of Johnson is coming down to the wire. It seems like both of these recruits are close to making a decision.

For a while, Kentucky was coming from behind with Johnson, but over the last week, Coach Pope and his staff have fully gotten back in this race. With a decision coming soon for Johnson Kentucky needs to do everything possible to keep him home.

Both Johnson and Moreno were on unofficial visits to Kentucky this week, so Coach Pope is doing everything in his power to keep these Kentucky kids in the Bluegrass State.