Derrick Jasper
Encyclopedia
Derrick Lamar Jasper is an American
basketball player for the UNLV Runnin' Rebels who is from San Luis Obispo, California
. He is listed as a point guard
, but he is versatile enough to also play the shooting guard
and small forward
positions.
. He attended Paso Robles High School. After getting offers from schools such as Memphis, Washington, and Illinois, he decided to play at the University of Kentucky
. He joined Jodie Meeks
, Perry Stevenson
, and Michael Porter as Kentucky's 2006 recruiting class.
's point guard over junior Ramel Bradley
. He ended up starting the final 27 games of the 2006-2007 season. After the 2006-07 season, Jasper thought about transferring but new coach Billy Gillispie
convinced him to stay. Over the summer he had microfracture surgery performed on his left knee and ended up missing the first 10 games of the 2007-2008 season. When he returned to action, he was the Wildcats' sixth man until freshman star Patrick Patterson
would go out for the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his ankle. After Patterson's injury, Jasper would take his place in the lineup. His final game with the Kentucky
would be played in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament
vs. the Marquette Golden Eagles
.
home. The schools that were named as his possible destinations were UNLV, California
, and UCLA. This proved to be true when he asked for his release from the team in June. Jasper said "My transfer is no indication of my experience here, I like the direction they're headed in, it's just that I would like to attend a place closer to my home." Jasper ended up transferring to UNLV to play for head coach Lon Kruger
. He said he liked how he fit in with the team and how Kruger motivated his players. He sat out the 2008-2009 season because of NCAA transfer rules. He is currently starting at guard for the Runnin' Rebels a and has led the team to wins against #16 Louisville and #15 New Mexico.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
basketball player for the UNLV Runnin' Rebels who is from San Luis Obispo, California
San Luis Obispo, California
San Luis Obispo is a city in California, located roughly midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles on the Central Coast. Founded in 1772 by Spanish Fr. Junipero Serra, San Luis Obispo is one of California’s oldest communities...
. He is listed as a point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
, but he is versatile enough to also play the shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
and small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
positions.
High school
Jasper was ranked in the top 40 in many national rankings, Japser was a consensus 4 star prospect. He was also the 5th ranked point guard in the class of 2006 by Rivals.comRivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
. He attended Paso Robles High School. After getting offers from schools such as Memphis, Washington, and Illinois, he decided to play at the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
. He joined Jodie Meeks
Jodie Meeks
Jodie Meeks is an American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA.Meeks played college basketball for the University of Kentucky Wildcats...
, Perry Stevenson
Perry Stevenson
Perry George Stevenson is an American professional basketball player. A power forward, he formerly played for the University of Kentucky men's basketball team...
, and Michael Porter as Kentucky's 2006 recruiting class.
Kentucky
As a freshman, he was chosen to start as Tubby SmithTubby Smith
Orlando "Tubby" Smith is an American college basketball coach. He is currently the men's basketball head coach at the University of Minnesota...
's point guard over junior Ramel Bradley
Ramel Bradley
Ramel Bradley is a former American college basketball point guard for the University of Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team currently playing for Maccabi Ashdod.-High school:...
. He ended up starting the final 27 games of the 2006-2007 season. After the 2006-07 season, Jasper thought about transferring but new coach Billy Gillispie
Billy Gillispie
Billy Clyde Gillispie , also known by his initials BCG, is an American college basketball coach. Since 2011, he has been the current head coach of the men's basketball team at Texas Tech University...
convinced him to stay. Over the summer he had microfracture surgery performed on his left knee and ended up missing the first 10 games of the 2007-2008 season. When he returned to action, he was the Wildcats' sixth man until freshman star Patrick Patterson
Patrick Patterson (basketball)
Patrick Davell Patterson is an American basketball player with the Houston Rockets. He played collegiately for the University of Kentucky. He is a 6'9", 235-pound power forward who grew up in Huntington, West Virginia...
would go out for the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his ankle. After Patterson's injury, Jasper would take his place in the lineup. His final game with the Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball
The Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, representing the University of Kentucky, is the winningest in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage. Kentucky's all-time record currently stands at 2058–647...
would be played in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
vs. the Marquette Golden Eagles
Marquette Golden Eagles
The Marquette Golden Eagles are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Marquette University....
.
UNLV
In May 2008, rumors circulated that Jasper was transferring from Kentucky to a school closer to his Paso Robles, CaliforniaPaso Robles, California
Paso Robles is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. Paso Robles is the fastest growing city in San Luis Obispo County: Its population at the 2000 census was 24,297; in 2010 it recorded some 29,793 residentsLocated on the Salinas River north of San Luis Obispo, California,...
home. The schools that were named as his possible destinations were UNLV, California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
, and UCLA. This proved to be true when he asked for his release from the team in June. Jasper said "My transfer is no indication of my experience here, I like the direction they're headed in, it's just that I would like to attend a place closer to my home." Jasper ended up transferring to UNLV to play for head coach Lon Kruger
Lon Kruger
Lon Kruger is an American college and professional basketball coach who is currently the men's basketball head coach of the University of Oklahoma. Kruger played college basketball for Kansas State University...
. He said he liked how he fit in with the team and how Kruger motivated his players. He sat out the 2008-2009 season because of NCAA transfer rules. He is currently starting at guard for the Runnin' Rebels a and has led the team to wins against #16 Louisville and #15 New Mexico.