Football past helps Johnson with hoops physicality

Published 12:57 pm Monday, July 28, 2025

It was just over three years ago when Jasper Johnson decided he would no longer play football. He had been a quarterback and safety at Woodford County High School but opted after his sophomore year to give up football to concentrate on basketball after leading Woodford County to the 2023 state tournament.

“I always loved the game of football,” he said. “I feel like it helped me a lot in basketball as well. It (playing football) would keep my mind off basketball and I could just have fun with my friends and it would also help me with my physical side.

I always loved football. I told my dad if I could change one thing about my high school career it would definitely be to play another season of football. But I really don’t have any regrets. I have a goal of playing in the NBA and having a long career in basketball. I’m happy with myself.”

He should be. He spent his junior season at Link Academy in Missouri and senior year at Overtime Elite in Atlanta. He developed into a five-star, top 30 national recruit and now is ready for his freshman season at Kentucky where coach Mark Pope has already predicted he’ll be a “superstar” for the Cats.

But what if his grandfather, Alvis Johnson, had not embraced him giving up football? Johnson’s father, Dennis, was a former national high school defensive player of the year at Harrodsburg High School, earned all-SEC honors at UK and played in the NFL. Johnson’s uncle, Derrick, was an all-state lineman at Harrodsburg, played at UK and got a taste of NFL training camp.

Alvis Johnson was a former football player at Western Kentucky who had a combined 192-78 record from 1973-1997 as head football coach at Harrodsburg and had three state runner-up finishes in 1988, 1996 and 1997. He was state coach of the year in 1991 and 1996. He was also coach of the year eight times in track and in 1977 was named the Kellogg Corporation National Track Coach of the Year. His boys track teams won four state titles and the girls won one. He had close to 50 athletes play Division I sports.

Alvis Johnson later became an assistant athletics director at UK and also served on the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Board of Control  and was named to the National Federation of High School Athletics’ board of directors in 1992 and became that board’s first African American president in 1994.

Alvis Johnson had such an impact on the Harrodsburg community that when he passed at age 76 two years ago that radio station WHBN in Harrodsburg broadcast the service from the football field named after Alvis Johnson.

Jasper Johnson freely admits that if his grandfather had wanted him to stick with football, he would have. Instead, his grandfather realized the special basketball talent his grandson had.

“If he had wanted me to play another season of football, I definitely would have,” Jasper Johnson said at his first UK press conference. “I love the game of football. I just love sports and competing no matter what it is.”

He noted how recently sophomore guard Collin Chandler was playing ping pong in Wildcat Lodge and is supposed to be the team’s best player in that sport.

“I was like, ‘Alright, I think I’m the best, so I got to play.’ Not going to disclose the score, but it was always fun to just go out and compete no matter what sport it is,” Jasper Johnson said.

The 6-foot-4 freshman guard, who won a gold medal with USA Basketball in July in the FIBA U19 Championships in Switzerland, said his football training still helps him in basketball and that Pope even brings up football when the two are watching film together.

“In football, I played two positions where I had to use my mind a lot, safety and quarterback,” Jasper Johnson said. “That always helped me with my decision making going through my read process.. Coach Pope always references that when we’re watching film, it’s like being a QB on your reads. You got a first option, second option, check down. That’s kind of like our offense.”

The freshman guard is adjusting the more physical side of college basketball. He got bumped around by La Familia players when the two teams worked out and older teammates have shown him no mercy in summer practices.

“I know defense is going to be a big part of my growth this season. I have a goal of trying to get drafted into the NBA, be one and done, but there’s a lot that goes into that. Just trying to learn and grow every day, mentally and physically,” he said.

Kentucky trainers and coaches are encouraging him to eat more to gain weight. His father, uncle and grandfather were all defensive linemen who never had to be encouraged to eat more. Jasper Johnson is now up to about 175 pounds and said he’s being told “if you see something (to eat), just grab it.” He says he’ll walk through the basketball facility and will try to eat constantly to add weight.

“My dad and uncles are all really big. I am still praying that hopefully I can hit another growth spurt in a couple of months or a year or so,” Jasper Johnson laughed and said.

Johnson’s offensive skills should fit Pope’s offense well and he’s feeling more comfortable daily with what he’s doing.

“It’s a flow offense. Not really too many things he’s telling you to do, it’s just a flow. Read and react,” the UK freshman said.  “I feel like I’m always confident in my game. Coach Pope and the staff have been telling me to shoot consistently. So, my first couple of practices, I’ve been shooting a lot.”