Junior LSU guard Flau’Jae Johnson is making waves once again! Recently, she teamed up with her good friend and the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Paige Bueckers. This Thursday, the 3-on-3 Unrivaled Basketball League in Lanauray announced Flau’Jae as its newest star through a groundbreaking NIL partnership. This deal not only secures her an undisclosed amount of equity in the league, but also guarantees her involvement in various content plans for the league’s future.

“I’m so excited to partner with Unrivaled, especially at the start of their first season,” Flau’Jae shared in a statement. “This isn’t just about basketball—it’s about pushing the game forward and creating real opportunities for women in sports.”

Exciting, right? Even with such incredible NIL deals under her belt, Flau’Jae has a refreshingly unique perspective on collegiate NIL opportunities. But not before she noted the less pleasant side of it.

“I’ve learned that being in the NIL era, players get scrutinized for taking advantage of it,” she pointed out. And Shedeur Sanders is a perfect example. The Colorado quarterback, who had an estimated $4.7 million NIL evaluation, isn’t shy about his success. His flashy “watch flex,” showcasing a $70,000 diamond-coated Audemars Piguet, has split opinions—some call it over-the-top, while others see it as smart marketing.

Like his dad, Deion Sanders, whose “Prime 21” sunglasses pulled in $4.5 million, Shedeur’s bold moves prove the NIL era is as much about branding as it is about performance. That said, Johnson also explained how early access to these kinds of deals allows athletes to build a foundation for their future.

“You get four years. And I am trying to explain to people like the universities are making so much money, and now they’ve given us a platform and a chance to make money, build our brands, and create something that lasts way beyond college,” she highlighted in the latest episode of Best of Both Worlds with Flau’Jae.

And honestly, she’s spot on!

Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals are a game-changer, giving athletes the legal right to control how their image is used, especially for commercial purposes. For years, NCAA rules prohibited athletes from profiting off their fame, leaving them with a zero share of the massive revenue they generated for their schools. It wasn’t until state laws began restoring NIL rights to college athletes that the system finally changed.

But as Flau’Jae noted, the opportunity comes with challenges. One of the biggest cons? A lack of awareness among the public about what NIL truly entails. Still, for the LSU standout, these challenges barely make a dent in her success.

Flau’jae Johnson is thriving in the NIL space

Beyond basketball, the 21-year-old is also making waves as a rapper, collaborating with major names in the music industry. According to On3, her highest NIL valuation in women’s basketball is estimated at $1.2 million. Flau’Jae herself has hinted that her deals actually total around $4.5 million!

A lot of this success is thanks to her agency, which plays a key role in landing these deals. Flau’jae openly credits them for much of her triumph in the NIL world. “While I stay actively involved in understanding this value, I heavily rely on my team of advisors, including my representation, to negotiate deals that reflect my worth accurately. They use a combination of market trends, my performance metrics, and personal brand impact to evaluate opportunities,” the young guard explained to On3 earlier this year.

Her popularity, however, didn’t come out of nowhere. The Georgia native was a standout on an LSU team that commanded plenty of attention last season. She arguably shined the brightest, averaging 14.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and shooting 50.4% from the field. She also sharpened her three-point game, hitting 38.0% on 2.6 attempts per contest.

So, will the ups and downs of NIL slow her down? Judging by her unstoppable rise, it seems highly unlikely.

Stay tuned for more because Flau’Jae Johnson is just getting started!