All Tar Heels

Another UNC Basketball Target Tentatively Set to Be at Duke Game

UNC basketball is in Jasper Johnson's top 10 and looks to host the 2025 sharpshooter soon.

Matt Giles

Photo credit: Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Sports
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Perhaps Holy Innocents Episcopal (Ga.) forward Caleb Wilson won't be the only 2025 five-star recruit in the Smith Center on Feb. 3 when the UNC basketball squad battles archrival Duke.

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On Thursday, Link Academy (Mo.) guard Jasper Johnson, a coveted sniper with NBA range and teammate to a 2024 UNC basketball signee in four-star center James Brown, included the Tar Heels in his top 10. The others still in contention are Alabama, Auburn, Baylor, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Missouri, Southern Cal, and West Virginia.

And the 6-foot-4, 170-pound five-star, one of nine top-15 talents on the Tar Heels' 2025 offer sheet, told On3's Joe Tipton that he's eyeing the first weekend of February for a trip to Chapel Hill.

It would be an official visit, according to Tipton. Johnson, an admitted lifelong UNC fan who currently ranks No. 12 overall and No. 1 among Missouri prospects on the 247Sports 2025 Composite but hasn't entirely ruled out a reclassification to 2024, plans to check out Kentucky a week later and Auburn the following weekend. 

"All my schools are open to me reclassing to 2024," the Lexington, Ky., native, who has already taken official visits to Missouri and West Virginia, explained to Tipton. "But as of right now, I think I'll be staying in the 2025 class. Reclassing up is an option, but I think I will probably stay in 2025."

Whenever and wherever Jasper Johnson decides to matriculate, his goal is to "go to college for nine months and then be a lottery [pick]."

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Stay tuned to All Tar Heels on SI.com for more UNC basketball recruiting news.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, Duke Blue Devils on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining UNC on SI in 2023, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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