$1.5M NIL-valued Flau'jae Johnson goes the Paige Bueckers route by surprising superfan with a PE shoe with PUMA
LSU guard and rapper Flau'jae Johnson followed in Paige Bueckers' steps as she surprised her biggest fan on her Overtime podcast. Johnson brought one of her biggest fans, Kambri, on her podcast where she unveiled her exclusive Puma All-Pro NITRO PE shoe, gifting a pair to her fan.
The player-exclusive shoe was created through her NIL deal with Puma which she signed in 2022 when she was still in high school.
Kambri marveled at her shoes, and the two rapped together.
“This, right here, this is something nobody has except for you and my family,” Johnson said, revealing her shoes to Kambri. “I’m gonna sign a box for you and I’m gonna sign a shoe for you. This is my own Puma PE Flau’jae Edition, Camouflage.”
Watch the sweet exchange below.
The sneakers feature Johnson's No. 4 in a camouflage design, paying tribute to her late father, the rapper Camoflauge. It includes her signature “Big 4” celebration on the tongue, along with two quotes from her mother: “Mama raised a beast” and “We worked on this.” Inside the shoe, a handwritten note serves as a heartfelt homage to her brothers.
Flau'jae has been affiliated with Puma for a while and took part in the brand's global basketball campaign in 2023, joining prominent figures like Breanna Stewart, Scoot Henderson and LaMelo Ball.
Flau'jae Johnson continues to thrive in NIL space
Flau'jae Johnson continues to make waves in the NIL space. She recently announced a partnership with Unrivaled, a new 3-on-3 women’s basketball league, where she will also receive an equity stake. This makes her the second college athlete to gain equity in a professional sports league, once again following UConn star Paige Bueckers.
As one of the most recognizable figures in women’s basketball, Flau'jae Johnson is making her mark during her junior season at No. 5 LSU. With an On3 NIL Valuation of $1.5 million, she sits at the top of college women’s basketball players in the NIL rankings. Her deal with Unrivaled adds to an impressive portfolio that already includes partnerships with JBL Audio, Apple Cash and Roc Nation.
Beyond basketball, Flau'jae Johnson also released her debut EP in June, featuring a collaboration with legendary rapper Lil Wayne, even performing one of her tracks live at the ESPYS.