Jasper Johnson, a Lexington native and one of the top basketball players in the 2025 high school class, announces his commitment to the University of Kentucky during a ceremony at the Woodford County High School in Versailles, Ky. on Sep. 5, 2024. Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Kentucky has the most underrated freshman in all of college basketball

Originally posted on Kentucky Wildcats on SI
By Andrew Stefaniak | Last updated Aug 13, 2025 12:36 PM ET

Just like every other season, there are a ton of talented true freshman who many believe are going to have incredible seasons for their schools. One of the true freshmen in this class that not many are talking about is Kentucky's Jasper Johnson.

The true freshman is a five-star but did not make the McDonald's All-American Game, which is a big reason why he isn't being discussed with many of the top players in the class. This explanation might remind fans of another former Kentucky freshman who ended up being a star, and that is Rob Dillingham.

When Dillingham was heading into his freshman season, he wasn't being discussed as much as some of the other names like DJ Wagner, Aaron Bradshaw, and Justin Edwards. Despite this, he went on to be a superstar for the Wildcats and was taken in the top ten of the NBA Draft.

KSR's Jack Pilgram has already made the comparison between Dillingham and Johnson, which now seems quite valid after hearing about how shifty he is with the ball.

Shifty @BruhJasperJ pic.twitter.com/URdJxLGa2C
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) August 7, 2025

Johnson is a player who doesn't have any limitations when it comes to shooting the ball, which Coach Pope is going to love. Coach Pope loves when a player isn't afraid to shoot the ball, and that is exactly what he is getting in Johnson.

This season, Johnson will likely come off the bench to replace Denzel Aberdeen, and he will be a sparkplug as a scorer. If Johnson is able to develop during his freshman season, there is a world where he works his way into the starting lineup once SEC play rolls around.

The 6'4 guard has NBA upside and plays the game in a way that NBA teams will fall in love with, as his offensive skillset is elite. Johnson is an okay defender, but will need to continue to work on this aspect of his game once the season rolls around.

This freshman class is full of some special basketball players, but Johnson isn't one of the names in this conversation. He is a really good player and will find a way to be up with the elite names in this class once the season ends.

Johnson is going to be a fan favorite at Kentucky this season, knowing he is a Kentucky native and his father played football for the Wildcats. People need to stop sleeping on Jasper Johnson, and he will soon show the world why.

This article first appeared on Kentucky Wildcats on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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