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Nate Oats close to reeling in a 5-star guard in the 2025 class

By Zach Breathwaite

Jasper Johnson (2) stands on the court during an AAU basketball game July 5, 2023, at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam in North Augusta, S.C. A Woodford County native, Johnson holds scholarship offers to play at Louisville and Kentucky and is considered one of the top guards in the Class of 2025.
Jasper Johnson (2) stands on the court during an AAU basketball game July 5, 2023, at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam in North Augusta, S.C. A Woodford County native, Johnson holds scholarship offers to play at Louisville and Kentucky and is considered one of the top guards in the Class of 2025. / Brooks Holton / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Alabama Basketball recruiting has been hot this offseason. Whether he’s picking top talent from the high school ranks or scouring the transfer portal for the right pieces, Nate Oats has seemingly gotten whoever he wants. 

With the 2024-25 roster set, Bama Hoops fans figure to be the beneficiary of those recent recruiting wins this winter.

Even as they prepare for the upcoming season, the staff has long since moved on to recruiting the class of 2025. Alabama has yet to land any 2025 commitments, but it still has momentum after landing arguably the best overall 2024 class in the nation. 

Bama's first piece in the class of 2025?

Lefty guard Jasper Johnson may be the first 2025 recruit to commit to Coach Oats and the Tide. Johnson, a 5-star recruit and the no. 10 overall player in the 2025 cycle per the 247Sports Composite, is clearly one of the premier guards in this class. He would be a dynamic backcourt piece in Coach Oats’ system and would continue the positive momentum that Alabama Basketball has both on and off the court. 

Bama is considered to be a slight favorite for Jasper Johnson, who could commit as soon as this month. North Carolina, whom Alabama has beaten for some high profile recruits in recent years, is also a finalist for Johnson. Several other programs, including Kentucky, are in the hunt but seem to be fading fast. 

This would be a huge win for Nate Oats, for all the obvious reasons. This is a 5-star guard that all the most prestigious programs in the sport want. If Coach Oats can land him, it will only continue the recent trend of Bama operating like a blueblood on the recruiting trail.

The Tide has gone toe-to-toe with the biggest brands in college basketball for recruits like Brandon Miller, Jarin Stevenson, Cliff Omoruyi, Labaron Philon, and more. Coach Oats and his staff, seemingly regardless of who it includes, are riding an impressive hot streak and could get another win over the big boys. 

The potential pickup of Jasper Johnson would be even more noteworthy considering Johnson’s home state is Kentucky. Sure, John Calipari no longer resides in Lexington, but it’s always a big deal to beat out the Wildcats for an in-state talent of this magnitude.

Additionally, winning Johnson’s commitment would likely mean that North Carolina finished second to the Tide once again. Not only has Bama beaten UNC on the court in two consecutive seasons, it has won major recruiting battles over the Tar Heels in back to back offseasons. Jasper Johnson has a chance to make it three straight. 

On top of his obvious talent, a commitment from Jasper Johnson would be huge in terms of setting the tone for the 2025 recruiting class. Alabama’s most recent recruiting haul turned out great, but the Tide didn’t get its first commitment in that class until late September. To land a top-10 player in July or even early August would be massive, and Johnson could be the centerpiece of another potentially outstanding recruiting class.

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