Mark Pope got a rare look at two of his incoming Kentucky freshmen in live action last week. As one of the coaches at the 2025 USA Basketball Men’s U19 National Team Training Camp in Colorado Springs, Pope worked closely with five-star guard Jasper Johnson and 7’0 center Malachi Moreno.
It was the first time he had coached them in a real game setting, and both players gave him plenty to be excited about.
Johnson, the No. 12 overall player in the class of 2025, impressed enough to make the cut from 31 to 18 finalists. He will now compete for a spot on Team USA’s final 12-man roster for the FIBA U19 World Cup, set to begin June 28 in Switzerland. Moreno, a top-40 recruit and one of the top rim protectors in his class, was not selected to advance.
Jasper Johnson, Malachi Moreno Leave Lasting Impression on Kentucky Basketball HC Mark Pope
Speaking about the experience of seeing Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno in action, Kentucky men’s basketball coach Mark Pope could hardly hide his excitement.
“It’s like a sneak peek into what’s going to be,” Pope said. “And both those guys, man, what a show they put on for these four sessions. They were both incredible. I mean, like, jaw-dropping, great.”
Kentucky HC Mark Pope speaks on what it was like coaching Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno at the Team USA U19 Camp.
Goes into detail on what he liked from each one of them! @JackPilgrimKSR
YouTube/KentuckySportsRadio#BBN #KentuckyBasketball pic.twitter.com/88i4EFJcV3— Dylan (@BigBlueDylan) June 16, 2025
Johnson earned praise from the Wildcats’ head coach for his poise and decision-making against elite competition. “He was facing a backcourt full of elite defenders, almost NBA-level guys, and he seemed completely immune to that pressure,” Pope said.
“He was so slippery. His decision-making was elite. He shot the ball great, came up with tough rebounds. He kind of showed it all over the floor.”
Pope also highlighted how comfortable Johnson looked managing physicality and pressure in the halfcourt. It was a strong early impression of a player expected to be a key backcourt piece for Kentucky next season.
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Moreno may not have made the final roster, but his physical tools stood out. Pope called his Sunday session “ridiculous,” pointing to his rim protection, rebounding, and energy.
“Blocking shots, verticality on the glass, rolling hard, field pressure. It was spectacular,” Pope said. “In transition defense, he was timing up his steps to send balls into the fourth row. And this is against the best 19-year-olds in the world.”
Jasper Johnson finds Malachi Moreno for the lob and slam — plenty more of that to come in Lexington pic.twitter.com/ZPx5N3LB21
— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) June 16, 2025
Johnson will continue pushing for a spot on the final 12-man Team USA roster, while Moreno returns to Lexington to prepare for summer workouts. For Pope, the chance to coach both freshmen in live competition offered an invaluable early look.
Both of these outstanding incoming freshmen will be taking the court for the Wildcats next season. While the official schedule hasn’t been released, we know that Kentucky will face the likes of rival Louisville, Michigan State, North Carolina in the ACC/SEC Challenge, Gonzaga, and Indiana, among their usual SEC opponents.
