Flau’jae Johnson Cold-Shoulders Angel Reese While Taking Over the Mantle at LSU

They say the friends you make in college last a lifetime. But that might not necessarily be true for Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson. The two former LSU teammates still play basketball, just in different leagues. And while both still show support for each other, both have also admitted that their relationship isn’t what it used to be. And Johnson’s latest interview proves it.

Sitting down with Khristina Williams for the In Case You Missed It podcast, the Tigers star is asked about how she’s planning to handle the pressure of being a team without Reese. Johnson boldly answered, “Now I just know what it takes to be at a certain level and I kinda just demand that every day from my teammates. And it’s just like learning to become a leader and learning how to lead in different ways and learning how to lead different players. I think it’s just about knowing that I’ve been there before, knowing that I’ve seen everything.”

While Williams specifically does not mention Reese, who was instrumental in leading LSU to the NCAA championship in 2023, Johnson simply speaks about her experience, calling Reese a ‘star.’ “I’ve just been able to just sit behind the stars of the team and kinda look and analyze like, okay, this is what has to happen, this is how I gotta move,” the 20-year-old says.

“So it’s not like no pressure or nothing, it’s just this thing I know, I’ve got experience, so now it’s my turn. I’m excited about taking that on,” she continued.

Johnson and Reese have a long history of friendship, one that survived an online clash between their mothers. Where Kia Brooks and Angel Webb Reese had a social media tussle over Reese’s grades but their daughters didn’t give in. Nevertheless, with Reese landing in Chicago and Johnson still playing in Baton Rouge, there was bound to be distance. However, might we expect the LSU youngster to join the W soon?

Will Flau’jae Johnson appear in the next WNBA Draft?

Given her performance in the upcoming NCAA season, Flau’jae Johnson is almost W eligible. Currently 20 years old, she will turn 22 years and seven months after the 2025 WNBA draft, meaning she could be a pro player in 2026 should she choose it. But besides being a student-athlete, Johnson is also a budding rapper.

“I have thought about that,” she told The Advocate at the SEC media day. “Because this could potentially be my last, just depending on how the season goes.” But for now, she has other plans. “Just because of music and things like that, and me wanting to pursue music on a higher level and more opportunities happen that I can’t pursue because I’m in college — I’m just focused on this season right now.”

If Flau’jae Johnson does choose to become a professional in basketball one day, she might reunite with Angel Reese in the W someday. But for now, even though there is no love lost between the two, each is focusing on her individual career, be it basketball or not. Nevertheless, fans will hope to see the two reunited, whether it’s once again in the same colors or not!