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Flau’jae Johnson’s career stands out not only for her accomplishments on the field, but also for defying the transfer-laden landscape of the modern NIL era in college sports.
More than four years ago, Johnson committed to LSU. Fast forward to 2026, and she has never left the school she first enrolled in. Her ties to the Southeastern Conference powerhouse run so deep that she buried her beloved pet, a bearded dragon named Four in a nod to her jersey number, on campus in Baton Rouge.
On Friday, Johnson will take the court for the final time in a Tigers jersey as she concludes her prolific college basketball career.
But when LSU faces 15th-seeded Jacksonville in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Johnson’s other bearded dragon, Champ, will be with her — at least in spirit.
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Flau’jae Johnson and the LSU Tigers take on the Tennessee Lady Vols on February 26, 2026, at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Clause Scott/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
Most of Johnson’s teammates would probably prefer to avoid the reptile. But LSU guard Izzy Besselman, a close friend of Johnson’s, was tricked into opening a basket she thought was empty but actually contained the bearded dragon.
Johnson plans to bring Champ to the gym for workouts, noting that some of his teammates bring their dogs.
LSU STAR FLAU’JAE JOHNSON SAYS UNMATCHED LEAGUE ‘CHANGES THE GAME’ AS SHE JOINS NIL PARTNERSHIP
Still, with her final run on the horizon, Johnson said she embraces the challenge that lies ahead no matter how far LSU advances.
“March is always a good month,” she told reporters at the SEC Tournament. “I love the month of March. The thing is, it’s the time when everyone is most focused and you just have to rely on your work.”
Johnson, who is also a recording artist and signed to Roc Nation, has a morning routine that includes watching game film with her coach and working out outside of team practices. Several brands have also partnered with Johnson, and she takes the time to fulfill the commitments associated with these agreements.
Besselman highlighted Johnson’s ability to bring out the best in her teammates.
“Seeing how hard she works motivates me and everyone in this locker room,” Besselman told Yahoo Sports. “He’s a good person to look up to.”
Flau’jae Johnson of the LSU Tigers in action against the Tulane Green Wave at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on November 20, 2024. (Reagan Cotten/LSU/University Images via Getty Images)
Johnson’s coach, Kim Mulkey, is known for her “tough love” approach, a style that produced results with three national titles at Baylor and another at LSU. Johnson said Mulkey helped her become a more efficient and ultimately better player.
“It might be easier to enter the transfer portal, go to a team with a terrible record and a 30 average,” Johnson said. “I could do that. I did it in high school. See what I’m saying? College isn’t much different.
“But I want to play with All-Americans. I want to play with a tough coach who’s won championships. I want to play with people to learn how to be effective. I want to play in positions where it’s not favorable for me and still come out on top. For me, it’s more so, I like to do the hard things.”
LSU Tigers women’s basketball player Flau’jae Johnson speaks during the world premiere of “The Money Game” at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on September 4, 2024, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (LSU Athletics/University Images via Getty Images)
Johnson is on track to compete in Unrivaled as early as next year after already signing a NIL deal with the women’s 3-on-3 league.
Mulkey said she thought Johnson was one of the best athletes to play at LSU, in part because of her philanthropy, but also for what she did for the trajectory of the program.
“She took a chance on LSU, so what did we have to sell? » Mulkey said on senior night. “We just got here, and she was the first McDonald’s All-American that I signed at LSU. Flau’jae’s story will be all those things I just mentioned, but the biggest story for me is that she stayed four years at LSU and she’ll graduate.
“When you think about college athletics now, people don’t do that anymore. And she loves LSU, and, in return, LSU embraced her and loved her back.”
LSU earned the second seed in this year’s Division I women’s basketball tournament. The Tigers will play in the Sacramento Regional.
