If anyone knows the true meaning of NIL benefits in college basketball, it’s Flau’jae Johnson. She is a full-blown brand, a rapper, a trendsetter, and someone who’s making waves beyond the court. Being a first-generation NIL athlete, she’s mastered the art of turning her talent into success. But, well, with great fame comes, unfortunately, a few downsides—like scammers trying to cash in on her name. 

And Johnson wasn’t about to let that slide. She took to Twitter to warn her fans, “If someone is sending y’all emails like they’re me, it’s a scam pls don’t fall for that!!” Yes, some people are out there pretending to be her, probably trying to con her fans into something shady.

And let us tell you, in the United States, email scams aren’t just some petty crime. If charged under wire fraud laws, scammers could face up to 20 years in prison. Not to mention, fines could go up to $250,000 for individuals and $500,000 for organizations. So, this isn’t just a little internet mischief—it’s a lot more than that. 

But thankfully, the baller’s post on X has already racked up over 15,000 views and more than 300 likes. And it turns out that some of her fans actually received these sketchy emails. They could have easily fallen for the scam if “Big 4” hadn’t stepped in and cleared things up.

But honestly, someone trying to make use of her hard-earned name is no shocker. We always talk about how Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark have been bringing new fans, but Johnson also got an entirely different audience coming in from the music industry.

With that kind of influence, it’s no surprise she’s secured some of the biggest endorsement deals out there. Naturally, this leads to some opportunists out there trying to scam people. But good thing, the hooper called them out. 

And it’s not new. She’s always using her platform to keep it real with her fans, to share her thoughts, and to stand up against what she sees as wrong. We saw an example very recently.

South Carolina apologizes after Flau’jae Johnson calls them out

This time, after LSU’s tough loss to South Carolina, the in-arena DJ, known as DJ T.O., played the instrumental of “Cut Friends,” a song by Johnson’s late father, Camoflauge. Now, for those who don’t know, Camoflauge was tragically shot and killed in May 2003—six months before Johnson was even born. 

So, hearing that song at that moment? That hit differently. So, obviously, the LSU star didn’t hold back. “I’ll take my L on the chin, but this just nasty behavior. Nun funny bout that,” she wrote on social media, posting the DJ’s Instagram story screenshot. 

Shortly after, DJ T.O. responded with an apology, saying, “Never my intent to disrespect anyone or offend anyone.” She explained that she grew up listening to Camoflauge and had been playing the song for years, but even she didn’t deny that timing matters.

South Carolina’s athletic department didn’t waste time addressing the issue either. They issued a public apology to the 21-year-old, her family, and LSU, calling the song selection “inappropriate.” They also announced that DJ T.O. was suspended for one game and that they would meet with her to “provide further education on our expectations for her in the future.”

This whole situation just goes to show how big and loyal Flau’jae Johnson’s audience really is. Her voice was loud enough to spark a response, an apology, and actual action. We just hope this energy keeps working in her favor—just without the scams next time.