Pope, Johnson and Moreno to Take Part in Team USA U19 Camp
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado. – Kentucky basketball head coach Mark Pope and incoming freshmen Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno will take part in the 2025 USA Basketball U19 National Team training camp at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center beginning on June 14. Pope will serve in an on-court coaching role, while the freshmen are vying for spots on the 12-player roster on Team USA’s squad that will compete at the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup in Switzerland.
This will serve as Pope’s first official role with Team USA, while Moreno will be making his second training camp appearance. Johnson earned a gold medal at the 2024 FIBA U19 AmeriCup. Johnson and Moreno were both a part of the USA Men’s Nike Hoop Summit Team earlier this spring that defeated the World Select team 124-114 in overtime.
Johnson averaged 20.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game for Real Wild Energy in the Overtime Elite League as a senior. The 6-foot-4 combo guard began his high school career at Woodford County High School in Versailles, Kentucky, where he helped lead the Yellowjackets to the semifinals of the KHSAA Sweet 16 in 2023, while also playing quarterback on the football team.
Johnson played for Team Thad on the EYBL AAU circuit and was a standout at Peach Jam in the summer of 2024, averaging 19.8 points, 3.2 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals across five games. The lefty also won a gold medal with USA Basketball at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup in Argentina, shooting a team-best 42.3 percent (11-26) from 3-point range.
Moreno is a consensus top 25 prospect in the 2025 class and earned Mr. Kentucky Basketball honors after leading his school, Great Crossings, to a state title as a senior. Moreno averaged 21.5 points, 14.9 rebounds, 3.6 blocks and 3.5 assists per game during his banner season. In the title contest, Moreno boasted 24 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks. He was voted a McDonald’s All American and also competed in the Nike Hoop Summit.
As a junior, Moreno logged 16.0 points, 13.3 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per game. He posted a double-double in all three of his 2024 state tournament games.
Training camp begins in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on June 14. Roster finalists are announced on June 16, and the roster will be finalized by June 21. The FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup takes place in Switzerland from June 28-July 6. The team is coached by Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd. Pope is one of three coaches serving as court coaches during training camp.
Kentucky went 24-12 overall in Pope’s inaugural season at his alma mater. Included in those victories were eight against Associated Press Top 15 opponents, tying Indiana (1992-93) and Duke (1978-79) for the most in a single season in collegiate basketball history. Five of the eight wins were against top 10 foes, setting a new program record. The Cats themselves ranked inside of the AP Top 25 for the duration of the season and finished the year ranking No. 12 overall.
With a win over No. 6 Florida on Jan. 4, Pope joined Adolph Rupp as the only coaches in program history to win each of their first three matchups vs. AP Top 10 teams. He did it in dramatic fashion as well. Pope and his squad overcame a 16-point halftime deficit to outlast No. 7 Gonzaga on Dec. 7, 2024. It matched the largest halftime hole overcome in program history.
The Wildcats downed Troy and Illinois to reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. They became the first team in more than 20 years with zero returning points from the previous season to reach at least the second weekend of the tournament. Kentucky finished the season ranking in the top 10 in KenPom offensive efficiency, it ranked seventh in the nation in points per game and set a program record with 341 made 3s. Furthermore, six players averaged double-digit scoring for the first time in school history.
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