UNC Basketball: Inside The Weighty Prediction Surfaces for Five-Star Prep and More

There is reason to think longtime UNC basketball target Jasper Johnson is about to commit elsewhere.

There is just one 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction regarding the Jasper Johnson recruitment. However, it comes from a highly reputable source, carries a “high” confidence level, and does not bode well for UNC’s chances of securing the 6-foot-4, 175-pound five-star prospect.

National recruiting expert Travis Branham made a prediction on Thursday night, suggesting that first-year Kentucky head coach Mark Pope will outmaneuver UNC’s Hubert Davis, Alabama’s Nate Oats, and Johnson’s other two finalists, Arkansas and Louisville. Shortly after, On3’s Jacob Polachek echoed this in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.

Travis Branham bomb 👀 pic.twitter.com/ZsGyEALG2X

— HS Top Recruits (@HSTopRecruiting) August 23, 2024

Johnson, a native of Kentucky who is ranked No. 10 overall in the 247Sports 2025 Composite, recently announced his transfer from Link Academy (Mo.) to Overtime Elite (Ga.). While he hasn’t officially set a date for his announcement, his team has mentioned that he intends to reveal his decision by the end of August.

This talented left-handed shooter has been a target for UNC basketball since last September. In early February, Jasper Johnson visited Chapel Hill for an official visit, followed by an unofficial visit with the Tar Heels in late June.

Out of the 18 prospects who have received offers from Hubert Davis, only Malachi Moreno, a four-star center from Great Crossing High School in Kentucky, has made a decision. He will be heading to Kentucky and is actively recruiting Jasper Johnson to join him there.

UNC seems to still be in the running for about a dozen players in this recruiting cycle.