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Flau’jae Johnson’s career stands out not only for her accomplishments on the field, but for defying the transfer-heavy landscape of the modern NIL era of college sports.
More than four years ago, Johnson committed to LSU. Fast forward to 2026 and she has never left the school where she first enrolled. 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 the Baton Rouge campus.
On Friday, Johnson will take the court for the last time in a Tigers jersey as she ends her prolific college basketball career.
But when LSU tips off against 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, La. (Scott Clause/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, has been tricked into opening a basket she thought was empty but actually contained the bearded dragon.
Johnson considers taking Champ to the gym for training, and notices that some of her teammates bring their dogs.
LSU STAR FLAU’JAE JOHNSON SAYS UNBREAKABLE LEAGUE ‘CHANGING THE GAME’ AS SHE JOINS ZERO PARTNERSHIP
Nevertheless, with her final race on the horizon, Johnson said she accepts the challenge up front no matter how far LSU advances.
“March is always a good month,” she told reporters during the SEC tournament. “I love March. The thing is, that’s when everyone is most focused and you just have to trust your work.”
Johnson, who is also a recording artist and signed to Roc Nation, has a morning routine that includes watching game film with his coach and fitting in workouts outside of team practices. Several brands have also partnered with Johnson, and she makes time to fulfill obligations related to these deals.
Besselman noted Johnson’s ability to bring out the best in his teammates.
“Seeing how hard she works motivates me and everybody else in this locker room,” Besselman told Yahoo Sports. “That’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, La., Nov. 20, 2024. (Reagan Cotten/LSU/University Images via Getty Images)
Johnson’s coach, Kim Mulkey, is known for his “tough love” approach, a style that has paid off with three national titles at Baylor and another at LSU. Johnson said Mulkey helped shape her into a more efficient and ultimately better player.
“It might be easier to go on the transfer portal, go to a team with a terrible record and average 30,” Johnson said. “I could. I did in high school. You know 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 won championships. I want to play with people so I can learn to be effective. I want to play in positions where it’s not favorable to me and still come out on top. For me, it’s more like I like to do the hard things.”
LSU Tigers women’s basketball player Flau’jae Johnson speaks during “The Money Game” world premiere at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on September 4, 2024 in Baton Rouge, La. (LSU Athletics/University Images via Getty Images)
Johnson is on track to compete in Unrivaled as soon as next year after already signing an NIL deal with the women’s 3-on-3 league.
Mulkey said she believes Johnson is one of the best athletes to play at LSU, in part because of her philanthropy, but also for what she did for the program’s track record.
“She took a chance on LSU, when 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. The story of Flau’jae will be all the things I just mentioned, but the biggest story for me is that she stayed four years at LSU and is going to graduate.
“When you think about college athletics now, people don’t anymore. And she loves LSU, and in return, LSU embraced her and loved her back.”
LSU earned a No. 2 seed in this year’s women’s basketball Division I tournament. The Tigers will play in the Sacramento Region.
