Not all friendships work out, and sometimes, that is okay. Something similar is the case with Flau’jae Johnson and Angel Reese. The two shared a close bond during their college days. However, the situation has changed considerably since the Maryland-born was drafted into the WNBA. During the first episode of ‘Unapologetically Angel’, the ‘Chi-Town Barbie’ shared that she didn’t have the best relationship with Johnson as of now. Meanwhile, Johnson too revealed that distance had taken hold of their relationship. If this already didn’t circulate fallout rumors, Johnson’s mother, Kia Brooks, recently snubbed Reese and chose another pair of rookies for her daughter, confirming that all is not well between the two.

Brooks joined her daughter on her podcast ‘Best of Both Worlds with Flau’jae’ on Thursday when she asked to choose the best WNBA team for the Lady Tiger. Without hesitating much, Brooks chose the LA Sparks and gave her reason for the choice. To many, this again highlighted that Johnson, despite sharing the floor with Reese, didn’t share a close bond anymore.

“I’ve always loved LA. You got to think about it. I was a Georgia girl and I had you and your brother take professional pictures. He had a basketball outfit LA Lakers outfit on and you had the cheerleader outfit. I don’t know why I want you in LA but I just feel like you can live out all your dreams in LA. Music, WNBA, entrepreneurship, family, flights are a little long from Atlanta but I still feel like there’s always a flight even if it’s you know a red eye like so much traffic is going through there, everything. You know what I mean so I just really feel like LA would be a dope spot for you to kind of do your thing,” Brooks advised her daughter.

Johnson is popular for pursuing her interests all too deeply. While she is known for her balling skills with the Lady Tigers, the 20-year-old recently released multiple songs, one of which features Lil Wayne. She has also featured on ‘The Rap Game’ and ‘America’s Got Talent’. Hence, Los Angeles, which is a hub for the entertainment industry, would definitely help Johnson pursue all her passions further.

“I think LA and Atlanta too. I like love Rickea and Cameron Brink…. I would love to be part of that. You know what I’m saying just like a franchise and then being LA it’s nothing being like that but I don’t know I want to kind of come back home just because I want to be around and mixing with them and you know be able to watch some girls stuff. So I don’t know. I don’t know what the future holds,” Johnson responded.

During the first episode of ‘Unapologetically Angel’, the former NCAA Champion revealed that though she still “support(ed) Flau’jae,” she didn’t share the same bond anymore. “People always expect us to like still be posting each other and stuff like that but we aren’t as close and I mean it happens,” Reese divulged. However, the LSU-alum concluded that she would be always there for her ex-teammate when she’d be “going back to LSU soon.” Meanwhile, Johnson too in a recent conversation with the ‘New York Post‘ echoed the same sentiments.

“Yeah, me and Angel, we ain’t as close as we used to be, but like, I still support her a thousand percent,” Johnson enumerated about the Sky rookie. The LSU guard expounded that she supported the seventh-overall pick and is “proud of her” for having her own records (most probably referring to surpassing Candace Parker’s consecutive double-double tally). Johnson further added that she knew Reese would perform well on the big stage, contrary to what her critics had predicted. “I have seen the mentality that she has. So, it’s been dope,” the rapper inferred. And now Brooks not opting for Reese’s team, somewhat came across as a snub, especially when their talks had fueled their fallout rumors. Meanwhile, it wasn’t only for Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson, Brooks also chose the second option for Johnson.

Kia Brooks shares the second option for her daughter Flau’jae Johnson

It was a surreal moment for Johnson when her teammate Reese was drafted into the professional world this year. Johnson reflected via ‘NBA Unplugged with Kevin Hart’ that she felt as if she too had made it. The 20-year-old also expressed her wish to be drafted into the WNBA soon and hence Johnson, along with her mother, discussed the second team she would want to be drafted in.

According to Brooks, Johnson should be drafted into the Atlanta Dream if not the LA Sparks. “You will sell out arenas in Atlanta, Georgia, period!” Brooks predicted about her daughter before pointing out that it is her home. “The love for you here is just so beautiful,” Brooks said while winding up the conversation.

Notably, Johnson was born in Savannah, Georgia on November 3, 2003, and plied her trade till her high school days mostly around her native city. She played basketball for Sprayberry High School in Marietta, Georgia, and earned herself the McDonald’s All-American honor in 2022. These would come in handy since the Atlanta Dream has its home court at College Park, Georgia.

Hopefully, Reese and Johnson will meet soon and sort out their differences. Perhaps, Johnson would also declare for the draft as soon as she turns 22-years-old.