Kentucky Gaining Momentum with 2025 Top 10 Guard

Kentucky secured their first commitment in the class of 2025 on Friday when in-state star big man Malachi Moreno made his commitment. He chose the Wildcats over Indiana, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Louisville, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Iowa. Now, Mark Pope and the Wildcats look to be gaining steam with one of the top players in the class.

Jasper Johnson, a top 10 overall player in the 2025 class, is nearing a decision and looking to make it by the end of August. As of a couple of weeks ago, it looked like things were slipping away with Kentucky's chances with Johnson. Now, as of late last week, the Wildcats have seemed to have made up a lot of ground in his recruitment, thanks to Kentucky stepping up their NIL efforts, according to KSR's Matt Jones . Although that has put them right back into the thick of things, NIL ultimately won't be the deciding factor. Instead, relationships and fit will play a larger role.

Johnson will be deciding between Kentucky, Alabama, North Carolina, and Louisville. As far as the leaders in his recruitment, the first three listed have separated themselves from the others as a decision nears. Kentucky's recent push from NIL has looked to bring the Wildcats back into the fold. Now, Johnson is focused on the right fit for him. The five-star guard is a native of Kentucky, recently transferring from Woodford County to Link Academy, and now he'll be suiting up for Overtime Elite for his senior season.

The Wildcats will have a close race to the finish line in this recruitment, but they are in a better spot, with Alabama and North Carolina right there with them as we get closer to a decision in the next couple of weeks.