Kentucky freshman guard Jasper Johnson had helped Team USA capture gold at the FIBA U19 World Cup in July, and there was only one person he wanted to share this moment with. His grandfather, Alvis, wasn’t there to see it, but Johnson made sure he felt it through an emotional social media tribute showing the world what family really means.
How Did Alvis Johnson Shape His Grandson’s Path to Gold?
The Kentucky guard’s X post captured everything in just a few words: “Granddaddy, woke up . Thank you for all you taught me .”
He shared four powerful images that told their story: a family photo showing young Jasper in his Dolphins football uniform alongside his grandfather wearing a Kentucky hoodie, a shot of Johnson dunking in Team USA gear, and two celebration photos of him posing with his gold medals wrapped in the American flag.
Granddaddy, woke up a . Thank you for all you taught me pic.twitter.com/Wux8zJ4exX
— Jasper Johnson (@BruhJasperJ) July 7, 2025
For Johnson, this wasn’t just about celebrating a championship. This was about honoring the man who made it all possible.
“Knowing a lot of my hard work and being able to be in the places that I am today is because of my grandfather,” Johnson told Kentucky Sports Radio.
The connection runs deeper than basketball or football. Johnson sees his grandfather’s influence everywhere, primarily through his father’s guidance.
“I know he was a great father to my dad, who has taken care of me my whole life. So, just knowing that he’s not here anymore, but he’s still with me in spirit and trying to do whatever I can for him in his name.”
Johnson’s international success began building this legacy with Team USA’s 2024 U18 AmeriCup victory in Argentina. In that tournament, he averaged 10.0 points and shot a team-best 42.3% from three-point range, helping the team secure gold.
The stage got even bigger at the 2025 U19 World Cup in Switzerland. Johnson contributed 8.0 points per game, shooting 46.3% from the field and 40.1% from three as Team USA went undefeated in a perfect 7-0 tournament run. Each game was another step toward the moment he’d share with his grandfather’s memory.
What Made Alvis Johnson a Kentucky Legend?
Alvis Johnson built his own legacy long before his grandson picked up a basketball. The former Western Kentucky football player became one of Kentucky’s most respected high school coaches, leaving his mark on every program he touched.
As a coach at Harrodsburg High School from 1973 to 1997, he compiled a 192-78 record in football while making three state championship game appearances. Those numbers tell only part of the story.
His track teams dominated even more, capturing four boys’ state titles and one girls’ championship. Under his guidance, athletes learned more than just how to run fast or throw far. They learned how to carry themselves with dignity.
Alvis broke barriers beyond the field and track. In 1994, he became the first African American president of the National Federation of High School Athletics Board of Directors. After retiring from coaching, he spent eight years as an assistant athletic director at Kentucky, staying connected to the program that would eventually welcome his grandson.
The family shared a perfect moment in May 2023 when Jasper received his Kentucky offer during an unofficial visit. Alvis celebrated with his grandson, watching another generation of Johnsons join the Wildcats family.
Two months later, on July 15, 2023, Alvis passed away at age 76. The timing made that Kentucky offer even more precious.
“It was definitely a big thing, a big excitement, that I was able to get that offer while he was still here, talk to him about it,” Jasper said.
The Johnson family’s Kentucky connection runs three generations deep. Dennis Johnson, Jasper’s father, was an All-SEC defensive end at Kentucky from 1998 to 2001 before playing in the NFL. Uncle Derrick also suited up for the Wildcats.
Now Jasper carries on the family tradition as the third generation to wear Kentucky blue. His tribute post shows how deeply that legacy still resonates with him, connecting a gold medal in Switzerland to a grandfather’s lessons learned years ago in Kentucky.
