LSU basketball has shown no hesitation in recruiting the class of 2025 of late. This trend has continued, as one of the top guards in the class has the Tigers on his radar. Recently, five-star combo guard Jasper Johnson expressed interest in a trip to Baton Rouge.
Class of 2025 five-star combo guard Jasper Johnson eyeing a visit to LSU basketball
When hired as the head basketball coach for LSU, coach Matt McMahon found himself in a difficult position. Barely any of the Tigers’ players were returning to the team, and McMahon was tasked with building a roster.
Ultimately, that turned into adding six transfers and five recruits to the team for the 2022 season. Now, heading into 2023, he’s bringing in six transfers and two recruits.
Eventually, the recruiting numbers will need to outweigh the transfer numbers.
Coach Matt McMahon is moving in that direction, as he’s significantly emphasized recruiting the class of 2024 and 2025. Most recently, one of the best recruits in the 2025 class expressed interest in a visit to Baton Rouge.
For a team looking to build a reputation in the world of recruiting, this is huge. Five-star Jasper Johnson is ranked the No. 13 player nationally, according to the 247 Sports Composite. He’s also rated as the No. 3 combo guard and the No. 1 player in Missouri.
Getting players on campus is often the biggest step in building a relationship. Not only does it allow recruits to see the campus, but it allows the coach the chance to give his recruiting pitch face-to-face.
The 2023 season will be big for coach McMahon
Everyone has a set of things they want in a coach. More often than not, especially in a sport like basketball, it’s mostly about getting to the next level. After all, the ultimate goal is the NBA.
For Jasper Johnson, there’s more to it than basketball. According to Hitmen Hoops Scouting, the three main things he is looking for are trust, education and development.
For coach Matt McMahon, the 2023 season will be huge in terms of showing his ability in each of those departments.
One of the best examples for McMahon in terms of development is NBA point guard Ja Morant. In just two seasons at Murray State, McMahon helped transform Morant from a zero-star guard to a top-two NBA draft pick.
If McMahon can continue to prove himself as a developer in 2023, it could go a long way for some of these top recruits. Not only would it show his ability to develop, but it would improve trust between him and his players.
Johnson is a special talent in the class of 2025
Jasper Johnson can do just about anything on the court. This is one of the main reasons for his “combo guard” tag. He can serve as a point guard and distribute on the floor, but he also has the ball skills and ability to score at will.
Over this summer, the 6-foot-4, 170-pound five-star guard has shown the ability to score at any level. He can shoot off the dribble or drive straight past you to get to the rim.
In addition, if you watch his shot, he has an incredibly quick release, leaving defenders little time to react. Johnson is a special talent, and McMahon was wise to begin this recruitment early.
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