FLAU’JAE JOHNSON KNOWS it does not make sense. In idea, sure, it needs to be simpler to seek out issues when her room is clear. However logic does not apply right here. Not right this moment. Not after the cleaners got here by means of and rearranged the fragile ecosystem she calls her organized chaos, the place hoodies overflow from drawers and each cable strewn throughout her desk has goal.
That is how she finally ends up rummaging round for her laptop mouse. Desk? Nope. Nightstand? Nothing. Lastly, she spots it on the highest shelf of the bookcase close to her mattress.
“Like, why would they put all of it the way in which up right here?” she asks, shaking her head.
However Johnson does not linger. She has work to do.
She drops into her chair — the one marked with the 2023 Last 4 brand — and fires up her desktop, the display crowded with audio recordsdata. She pulls out her mic and slips on her headset, again in her ingredient — even when the room round her is not.
That is Johnson’s residence studio. It is the place she makes the music that has helped place her in a nationwide highlight and set her aside from her friends. It is the place she recorded her newest EP, and what obtained her on the ESPY Awards stage with Lil Wayne in July and on the BET Awards in October.
It is a haven for her, a nook the place she will be able to give attention to one of many many hyphenates of her most well-liked profession path: rapper-basketball star-businesswoman. She spends practically each free second right here, although this 12 months, these moments are few and fleeting.
This season, Johnson is tucking away that famous person persona and specializing in being top-of-the-line faculty basketball gamers within the nation. Johnson and LSU (8-0) are off to an ideal begin because the Tigers have scored no less than 100 factors in an NCAA-record eight consecutive video games, albeit towards a weak nonconference schedule. A month into her senior 12 months at LSU, it is her final probability to provide this group all she has left.
It is a straightforward transition to make, Johnson says. Whereas it is all about her on stage, it is about her whole group on the court docket. She stays devoted to the work behind the scenes, and she is going to do no matter it takes to be the most effective at no matter she units out to do.
“You have to preserve the principle factor the principle factor,” she says. “I make my life revolve round basketball.”
It is a part of the deal she made with LSU coach Kim Mulkey. “She stated within the offseason, you’ll be able to go rap, go to Germany, I do not care what you do. However in season, you have to give attention to basketball.”
Johnson needs to spend her closing months in Baton Rouge working towards her second NCAA title. She helped LSU win its first nationwide championship in girls’s basketball as a freshman in 2023. Now, she needs to check her management expertise. She needs to do every little thing she will be able to to show she deserves to be a lottery decide within the WNBA draft.
She needs to show basketball is — and all the time will likely be — the No. 1 precedence.
“I get to reside like Hannah Montana,” Johnson says. “Better of each worlds.”
IT’S MARCH 2025, and Johnson has a choice to make. The season has barely ended, just a few days faraway from LSU’s Elite Eight loss to UCLA, and the feelings are nonetheless uncooked. The 5-foot-10 guard and her mom, Kia Brooks, start speaking by means of what’s subsequent, turning over each situation they will consider.
The WNBA draft is 2 weeks away. Johnson can declare and step into the most effective girls’s basketball league on the earth. Or she will be able to return to LSU for her senior 12 months and take one other run at one thing she is not certain she is able to go away behind.
“Do not make [this] resolution if you’re emotional,” Brooks remembers telling her 22-year-old. She wasn’t saying it as Johnson’s mother, however as her supervisor, the one that has watched Johnson make lots of of enterprise selections. However this one was completely different. This one may change the trajectory of the remainder of Johnson’s life.
The advantages of the WNBA had been lots. The skilled platform. The endorsements. The possibility to develop her recreation towards the highest expertise on the earth. However there was one other feeling Johnson could not ignore — one thing that stored urgent at her as she weighed her choices.
Mulkey gave Johnson and Brooks house to work by means of it. Even from afar, the coach had a way of the place the dialog would possibly land.
“I by no means apprehensive about it,” Mulkey advised ESPN. “I knew the standard of individual and household that I signed, and she or he wished that faculty diploma. And she or he’s not going to go away someplace the place she’s obtained unfinished enterprise.”
“I did not need to exit on a loss once I did not should,” Johnson stated. “If I’ve one other 12 months, why not attempt to exit as a champion? I owe it to LSU. I owe it to Baton Rouge. Loads of gamers do not stay 4 years anymore. I am loyal to the soil.”
She had each purpose to really feel prepared for the subsequent degree. She began all 36 regular-season video games, averaging 11.0 factors, 5.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists and profitable SEC Freshman of the Yr throughout the 2022-23 NCAA title run. After two extra Elite Eight appearances, she may have walked away content material after her junior season.
“Her mindset is, ‘I will get higher,'” Mulkey stated. “Something scouts query, she needs to point out she will be able to do. … Her work ethic is unbelievable.”
Over the previous three seasons, Johnson has change into the steadying presence on a roster that has turned over consistently. Teammates graduated, left for the WNBA or transferred, whereas new stars arrived. Via all of it, Johnson has remained this system’s anchor and the final tie to the championship group.
“Regardless of who transferred, regardless of who got here in, regardless of who left, I used to be all the time [me],” Johnson stated. “I believe that is what simply made me so good. I am all the time capable of adapt.”
Leaving LSU by no means felt like an actual possibility.
“That do not even sound correct. I am a Tiger ’til I die,” she stated.
“She does not suppose the grass is greener elsewhere, even on her dangerous days, even when she’s aggravated at Coach,” Mulkey stated. “She understands you simply do not bail out.”
JOHNSON SITS ON her sofa in grey sweats, a brilliant orange Supreme hoodie and a colourful headband, flipping by means of a pocket book. She breezes by sketches she has drawn for a clothes line, mock-ups for what her report label brand may appear like and rap lyrics she has scratched down.
“I am all the time jotting issues down that I need to do,” she says, scanning the pages. “Music, clothes, basketball, housing, magnificence, movie, TV. Completely different lists suddenly, however it simply makes it appear a little bit extra attainable, you recognize?”
Johnson stops flipping and factors to phrases on the web page.
“Act like who you need to change into,” she reads. She units new targets for herself every month and descriptions them in her journal, whether or not it is a new process she needs to strive or one thing she needs to enhance on in basketball.
At this stage of her profession, Johnson understands easy methods to use her time properly. But it surely took some time to seek out the correct steadiness.
Early in her freshman season, Johnson would arrive at apply three minutes earlier than it began together with her footwear nonetheless in her palms. She nonetheless obtained her work in and located success, however Mulkey swiftly identified the nonchalant strategy could not proceed.
However Johnson overcorrected. She’d get up at 5 a.m. day-after-day to get in a exercise, however as an alternative of that serving to her efficiency, it ran her ragged. She missed the SEC event final season as a result of she had shin splints — what she now says was the results of her not caring for her physique.
“I needed to inform her many occasions, put the ball down … you are doing an excessive amount of,” Mulkey stated.
Johnson lastly has struck the correct chord between finding out the sport, coaching and relaxation. She is intentional together with her time, and the steps she takes to get higher. This basketball season, “preparedness” is the phrase she has plastered above her locker, and it is what’s guiding her.
It is evident within the pages she fills in her numerous journals, writing down every little thing she needs to perform in her life, in addition to simply what she must get performed that day. She particulars the precise duties she wants to finish to attain all of it.
Get up and meditate. Breakfast. Ten pushups, 50 situps. Do laundry. Load the dishwasher. Feed Champ (Johnson’s pet bearded dragon).
“I nonetheless undergo the small stuff, too. I am proud that I put my garments in a washer and dryer. Although you do nice huge issues, you continue to should be common,” Johnson stated.
“You could possibly have a look at it and be like, that is an excessive amount of, or you possibly can have a look at it and be like, bro, that is every little thing I ever requested for. That is how I have a look at it. Like Flau, you are actually the one individual on the earth that is doing what you are doing. And so I take satisfaction in that. And once I really feel like I am unable to go on anymore, I sort of simply take into consideration that: No one else is doing this. In fact it is exhausting.”
“BOBBY!” JOHNSON EXCLAIMS as she turns into LSU assistant coach Bob Starkey’s workplace at 7:50 a.m. for a 30-minute movie session. They meet each weekday at 8 a.m. sharp.
Starkey is a legend in his personal proper. The Tigers’ affiliate head coach joined Mulkey in Baton Rouge forward of their nationwide championship season. He was additionally part of the employees that took LSU to 5 straight Last Fours throughout the Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles years.
It was Johnson’s thought to have these classes with Starkey — she is aware of how his tutelage can form her improvement. Typically she sends him performs from a recreation she needs to go over forward of time. On today, they undergo recreation tape from the evening earlier than, their Nov. 17 matchup towards Tulane.
“Oh, I used to be good on this first half,” Johnson says because the tape begins.
“Do not get forward of your self,” Starkey replies. There is a lengthy pause of silence. “You probably did have a superb first half, although.”
Starkey spends the subsequent half hour choosing aside Johnson’s recreation. He highlights her persistence. He factors out that she had too many right-hand drives. He compliments the enhancements she has made this 12 months, being in stance when she’s on the lookout for assist, as an alternative of enjoyable an excessive amount of. He teases Johnson for turning over the ball as a result of she stated she was too speedy. He lays into her for lacking too many free throws. He celebrates her presence on the board.
“That is an NBA transfer,” he says. “You may be the most effective relocator within the league.”
As Starkey bounces backwards and forwards from the great and the dangerous, Johnson’s posture switches from sitting up straight and smiling to slumping down in disgust. However she clings to each phrase.
“[This year is] going to go sooner than she thinks,” Starkey advised ESPN. “She’s going to blink and it will be senior day. She’s going to blink and she or he’s going to be taking off the uniform for the final time. … One of many issues that we preach round right here is that right this moment issues. Every single day issues.”
6:54
The hearth that drives LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson
LSU guard Flau’jae Johnson is on a mission to complete the journey her father began earlier than he was fatally shot in Could 2003.
This 12 months, Johnson needs to enhance her playmaking and capturing effectivity. Starkey sends her movie of Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry to check how he strikes with out the ball to seek out open photographs — particularly, how he relocates himself after handing the ball to a teammate.
“We’re making an attempt to get our perimeter gamers once they feed the put up to relocate in order that they get a contact again,” Starkey defined.
After her movie session with Starkey, Johnson walked to the basketball amenities to get therapy. She tweaked her ankle in New Orleans the evening earlier than and wanted to get it checked earlier than group movie. Subsequent was apply.
It is grueling on today. Mulkey has her gamers run two sprints in 12 seconds, representing the 12 free throws they missed the evening earlier than. If somebody fails to make it by the buzzer, that dash does not rely. By the top of the train, they’ve performed 15, and gamers are bodily pulling teammates throughout the end line to make sure all of them make it. Subsequent, they cut up into pairs to shoot free throws. Three minutes are set on the clock, and no group can miss two in a row. In the event that they do, the clock restarts. About 20 minutes after the drill begins, they lastly end.
Johnson makes her means out of the health club and towards the burden room. She’s drained and irritated. Her teammates are too. However as quickly as they flip the nook into the burden room, the air — and their perspective — immediately turns into lighter.
In between chest presses and cable rows, they dance to GloRilla’s “Hollon.” They break into laughter earlier than locking again in. The backwards and forwards between letting free and staying utterly targeted is a steadiness Johnson is all the time making an attempt to strike.
“My power controls how apply goes,” Johnson stated. “My power controls how video games go. So it is like, are you able to be a pacesetter whereas making an attempt to make your goals come true of going to the WNBA?”
MULKEY CALLED JOHNSON into her workplace throughout the first week of apply to ensure she knew what sort of chief she needed to be this season. This 12 months, it was going to be her group.
“It felt rattling close to inconceivable at first,” Johnson stated.
Mulkey first regarded to Johnson to steer throughout the Tigers’ event run final NCAA season. She wasn’t prepared.
“I do not suppose Flau’jae knew easy methods to lead,” Mulkey stated.
Up till that time, Johnson had all the time had a veteran participant above her; this time, everybody regarded to her. Mulkey referred to as Johnson into her workplace and advised her to seek out her voice.
Johnson tried, however her type of suggestions or criticism was harsh — asking her teammates why they’d make a dumb move, or snipping at them to get locked in.
The change flipped for Johnson this previous summer time when she was with Crew USA in Chile on the FIBA Girls’s AmeriCup. On a roster with Olivia Miles, Madison Booker and Hannah Hidalgo, Johnson’s enjoying time was slashed. She averaged 11 minutes within the seven video games she performed and logged simply three minutes in every of the semifinal and championship video games.
“I obtained to see a unique perspective,” Johnson stated. “I obtained to see how the individual on the top [of the bench], how they felt. How can I nonetheless carry them up?”
Throughout AmeriCup, Johnson watched the Netflix documentary collection “Golden,” following the U.S. males’s nationwide group by means of the 2024 Olympics. She paid particularly shut consideration to Tyrese Halliburton and Jayson Tatum’s storylines — stars for his or her respective NBA groups who did not crack Crew USA’s rotation.
“It gave me a while right here to grasp why anyone is perhaps feeling a sure sort of means and easy methods to assist them by means of that,” Johnson stated.
Johnson’s acceptance of a bench function with the U.S. girls was an important second in her maturity. Previously, she stated she took offense to any criticism, seeing something however good suggestions as an insult.
“She undoubtedly has responded to constructive criticism higher,” Mulkey stated. “She does not take it personally anymore. She simply takes it as a problem.”
LSU BREEDS SUPERSTARS. Angel Reese. Fowles. Augustus. As Johnson prepares to graduate — she’s majoring in interdisciplinary research with minors in enterprise, communication research and entrepreneurship — she needs to go away her mark on this program too.
She listed her greatest accomplishments: Being a profitable rapper, profitable a nationwide championship, being an All-American, being an All-SEC-caliber participant, and staying at LSU for all 4 years.
However that’s simply the beginning of the legacy she needs to go away in Baton Rouge, as a baller, rapper, somebody on the forefront of the NIL period.
“I really feel like I’ve performed one thing no one else has performed,” she stated. “I actually left my mark … it is going to have the ability to be one thing that gamers or, you recognize, simply younger ladies and boys attempt to replicate for some time.”
Now, she’s wanting so as to add to what individuals consider once they say the identify Flau’jae Johnson. Two-time nationwide championship. WNBA lottery decide. Scratch that — No. 1 draft decide (she’s projected at No. 5 in ESPN’s newest mock draft). She additionally needs a No. 1 hit. She needs her albums to go platinum.
She envisions a constructing together with her identify on it in New York Metropolis, the place she will be able to make use of lots of of individuals, giving them a secure job and revenue. Clothes strains. Shoe offers. Magnificence merchandise. She needs to do all of it.
However greater than any of the tangible accomplishments she needs to attain, her greatest dream is to have an effect that she does not even straight find out about.
“I all the time inform individuals, success for me is like altering individuals’s lives that I am going to by no means meet,” Johnson stated. “I hope that my attain is that huge. I hope my influence is that huge, that I actually change lives and encourage people who I in all probability by no means get to see. That is going to be my pinnacle of success.”
The aspirations are daring, identical to her persona and the way in which she performs. For some, such success over a number of industries would possibly sound unrealistic, however it’s the identical degree of organized chaos that Johnson has not solely lived in, however thrived in.
“I do not need it to go to her head,” Starkey stated, a sly grin spreading throughout his face, “However they will make a film about her sooner or later. I’m certain about that.”