Earlier in 2025, LSU women's basketball star Flau'jae Johnson had a major life decision to make. When the Tigers' 2024-25 season came to an end in the Elite Eight, Johnson was left with two potential paths forward — one that led to a professional career in the WNBA, and the other that led to a fourth and final year at LSU.
Johnson ultimately chose to use her last year of eligibility and return to LSU, and she recently came clean to ESPN about her reasons why.
“I didn't want to go out on a loss when I didn't have to. If I have another year, why not try to go out as a champion?” Johnson said. “I owe it to LSU. I owe it to Baton Rouge. A lot of players don't stay four years anymore. I'm loyal to the soil.”
Johnson was faced with many choices in March, including whether she would try to enter the transfer portal and chase a national championship elsewhere. However, the 22-year-old didn't hesitate to express her desire to finish out her college career at LSU, where she began.
“[Leaving LSU] don't even sound right. I'm a Tiger 'til I die,” Johnson said.
Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey explained that she gave Johnson the space to make a decision that worked well for her, but she had a deep belief that the star guard and rapper would return to finish what she started.
“I never worried about it. I knew the quality of person and family that I signed, and she wanted that college degree,” Mulkey said. “And she's not going to leave somewhere where she's got unfinished business.”
Mulkey continued on to shower Johnson with praise over the 2022-23 SEC Freshman of the Year's commitment to the game of basketball.
“Her mindset is, ‘I'm going to get better.' Anything scouts question, she wants to show she can do [it],” Mulkey added. “Her work ethic is unbelievable.”
Johnson's choice has seemingly paid off for No. 5 LSU so far this season. The 5-foot-10 senior is averaging 16.1 points on 52.2% shooting as the team cruises to an undefeated 10-0 record, which includes a scoring streak of 100-plus-point games that was only broken last Tuesday in a 93-77 victory over Duke. Either way, Johnson has made it clear where her priorities lie.
“You've got to keep the main thing the main thing,” Johnson said. “I make my life revolve around basketball.”
