**Kentucky’s Mark Pope and Recruits Invited to USA Basketball U19 Training Camp**
Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope and incoming freshmen Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno have been invited to participate in the 2025 USA Basketball U19 National Team training camp. The camp is scheduled to begin on June 14 at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This marks Pope’s first official role with USA Basketball, where he will serve as an on-court coach. Johnson and Moreno are among 33 athletes vying for a spot on the 12-player roster that will represent the United States at the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup in Switzerland from June 28 to July 6. ([A Sea Of Blue][1], [On3][2])
### Pope’s First USA Basketball Coaching Role([On3][2])
Mark Pope, who took over as head coach at Kentucky in 2024, will join Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd (head coach), Texas Tech’s Grant McCasland, and Notre Dame’s Micah Shrewsberry (assistant coaches) in leading the U19 team. Pope will be one of three court coaches during the training camp, alongside North Carolina’s Hubert Davis and Alabama’s Nate Oats. ([Anonymous Eagle][3])
### Jasper Johnson: A Rising Star([Facebook][4])
Jasper Johnson, a 6-foot-4 combo guard, has had a notable high school career. He began at Woodford County High School in Versailles, Kentucky, leading the team to the semifinals of the KHS … . Johnson later transferred to Link Academy in Missouri for his junior year and played in the Overtime Elite League … , averaging 20.3 points, … . He also represented Team USA at the 2024 F … 18 Ameri … winning a gold medal and leading the team in three-point shooting percentage at 42.3%. ([A Sea Of Blue][1], [Your Sports Edge][5], [UK Athletics][6])
### Malachi Moreno: Dominant in the Paint([A Sea Of Blue][1])
Malachi Moreno, a 7-foot center from Great Crossing High School in Georgetown, Kentucky, is a consensus top-25 prospect in the 202 … . He earned Mr. Kentucky Basketball honors … team to a state championship, averaging 21.5 points, … senior season. Moreno was also named a McDonald’s All-American and participated in the Nike Hoop Summit. ([Your Sports Edge][5], [UK Athletics][6], [A Sea Of Blue][1])
### Training Camp and World Cup Details
The USA Basketball U19 training camp will run from June 14 to June 21. Roster finalists will be announced on June 16, with the final 12-player roster set by June 21. The team will then compete in the FIBA U19 World Cup … from June 28 … , facing teams from around the world. ([A Sea Of Blue][1], [UK Athletics][6])
This opportunity allows Coach Pope to gain valuable international coaching experience and provides Johnson and Moreno with a platform to showcase their talents on a global stage before beginning their collegiate careers at Kentucky.
* [A Sea Of Blue](https://www.aseaofblue.com/2025/5/20/24434048/mark-pope-jasper-johnson-malachi-moreno-team-usa-basketball-kentucky-fiba?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
[1]: https://www.aseaofblue.com/2025/5/20/24434048/mark-pope-jasper-johnson-malachi-moreno-team-usa-basketball-kentucky-fiba?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Mark Pope, Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno taking part in Team USA Basketball this summer”
[2]: https://www.on3.com/teams/kentucky-wildcats/news/jasper-johnson-malachi-moreno-accompany-mark-pope-team-usa-u19-training-camp/?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Jasper Johnson, Malachi Moreno will accompany Mark Pope at …”
[3]: https://www.anonymouseagle.com/2025/5/20/24434132/marquette-golden-eagles-mens-basketball-royce-parham-team-usa-u19-training-camp-fiba-world-cup?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Royce Parham Invited To Team USA U19 Training Camp”
[4]: https://www.facebook.com/kysportsradio/posts/jasper-johnson-and-malachi-moreno-are-two-of-33-players-invited-to-next-months-2/1194457439392839/?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno are two of 33 players invited to …”
[5]: https://www.yoursportsedge.com/2025/05/21/jasper-johnson-malachi-moreno-invited-to-usa-basketball-tryout/vaughts-views/larryvaught/?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Jasper Johnson, Malachi Moreno Invited to USA Basketball Tryout”
[6]: https://ukathletics.com/news/2025/05/20/pope-johnson-and-moreno-to-take-part-in-team-usa-u19-camp/?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Pope, Johnson and Moreno to Take Part in Team USA U19 Camp”
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