"I’m like an Energizer bunny": Flau'jae Johnson describes her playing style as she gears up for 2024-25 WBB season
Flau'jae Johnson will be the LSU Tigers' culture and offensive leader for the 2024 women's basketball season. Angel Reese has transitioned to the WNBA, and Hailey Van Lith transferred to the TCU Horned Frogs. While Johnson is not new to leadership or to being the head of the snake, she has never led a college unit before.
With that, as she gears up for the new season, Johnson outlined her mentality and approach toward her role with Tigers coach Kim Mulkey for the coming season.
"I love the game, so I’m really energetic about it,” Johnson said in an interview with Sports Illustrated's Elizabeth Swinton. "Like I have fun, I’m laughing, smiling a lot. I get locked in, I get serious, but I try to just have a lot of fun and bring a lot of energy. I’m like an Energizer bunny.”
As her booming music career indicates, Flau'jae Johnson knows how to work a crowd. Even as a freshman guard for LSU, she played important minutes during the program’s championship run. As a result, not only did she lift the NCAA title in her first college year, but she also won the SEC Freshman of the Year honor.
Johnson saw a change of roles in her sophomore year. She was asked to translate her relentless drive and passion on the other end of the floor. As a result, she averaged 20.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.0 steals per game in the 2023-24 NCAA Tournament, scoring nearly thrice of what she did in her freshman year.
Flau'jae Johnson is leading LSU by example
Johnson led by example when the LSU Tigers opened their exhibition stints against Xavier Musketeers on Oct. 24. The junior led the squad to a dominant 114-53 win behind a double-double outing.
Flau'jae Johnson went 13-19 from the field, scoring 30 points and 10 rebounds (four offensive), three assists, three steals and one block in 29 minutes. Johnson not only got a chance to have real-time leadership experience but to also showcase her potential impact on LSU games.
Johnson will have plenty of help in Aneesah Morrow this year, who quietly averaged a double-double next to Angel Reese last season. Morrow played the second most minutes in the exhibition game (27), scoring 19 points, 10 rebounds, five steals and four assists.