Jasper Johnson, 5-star 2025 guard, considering five schools

Former Link Academy guard is the No. 10 prospect in Class of 2025

Link Academy 2025 guard Jasper Johnson / Photo by Nate Latsch, SBLive

Jasper Johnson made news recently when he announced he was leaving Link Academy in Missouri to play his final high school season in the Overtime Elite program in Atlanta. Now the 5-star combo guard is getting closer to making his college commitment.

The 6-foot-4, 175-pounder, a Lexington, Kentucky native, has narrowed his college choices to Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisville and North Carolina, according to reports.

Johnson, a lefty who can play either guard spot, is ranked as the No. 10 prospect in the Class of 2025 by the 247Sports Composite as well as the second-best shooting guard. He's one of the top shooters in his class and will make an instant impact wherever he ends up.

After scoring a game-high 24 points in a win over The Burlington School (North Carolina) at the Quincy Shootout in January, Link Academy coach Bill Armstrong described what makes Johnson a special talent.

"He’s been great," said Armstrong, who moved on from Link Academy after the season and is now an assistant coach at Baylor. “I think he’s our second-leading scorer, leads us in 3-pointers made. He’s really, really improved defensively. That’s where he’s taken the right step in the right direction over the last month. Offensively, he’s one of the best players in the country. I personally believe he’s the best shooter in the country. He makes hard ones look easy."

"We run that action now anytime people press us where we flash the big and stack that side and pitch it to him and I think he’s made every single one of them and that’s not an easy shot – nobody works on that," Armstrong said. "That’s just how good he is and how good his touch is from shooting the ball.”

Related: Jasper Johnson leads Link Academy basketball past The Burlington School at Quincy Shootout

Johnson's lone year at Link Academy also led to some well-intentioned recruiting advice from some of his teammates, including Jalen Shelley, an Arkansas signee who ended up heading to USC instead, and North Carolina-bound big man James Brown.

"They all push me a little bit," Johnson said in January. "Shell (Jalen Shelley) and Arkansas. JB (James Brown) is my roommate so he pushes North Carolina all the time. They all put some info into my ears to contribute to their schools.”

Johnson has some strong connections to the schools in his final five.

The high-scoring guard is from Lexington, Kentucky, home of the Wildcats, and he was recruited by former Kentucky coach John Calipari who has since moved on to Arkansas. He's also got his former roommate, Brown, waiting for him at North Carolina if he wants to become a Tar Heel. Another Link Academy teammate, guard Labaron Philon, ended up at Alabama this season after previously having committed to Kansas.

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- Nate Latsch |  latsch@scorebooklive.com