Being a college student, top-notch basketball player, budding rapper, and running a podcast is no small feat. And doing all that at once sounds almost impossible. Not for Flau’jae Johnson, though. LSU’s junior guard has been pulling this off for years now. But this year, she has also stepped into the leadership role as Angel Reese is gone. However, according to coach Kim Mulkey, she has actually been a leader for a while. Just her presence was sort of overshadowed.

When asked about what she thinks of the guard’s leadership role this year, she straight up said, “Well Flau’jae was a captain for us last year as well.” She added, “Y’all just know about Angel because Angel is kind of front and center out there more than Flau’jae is when it comes to being outspoken.”

She pointed out that while Reese was the loud, confident leader everyone noticed, Johnson’s leadership was just as valuable, even if quieter. Mulkey appreciated that Johnson doesn’t ‘overstep’ and is still growing into herself. The LSU Tigers HC teaches her to lead without letting bad days show. 

“When Coach Mulkey has a bad day, I can’t ever let any of you know, so when you have a bad day, you can’t ever let your teammates know,” Mulkey shared in the post-game conference. She advised the 21-year-old to adopt the same mindset. And that advice seems to be paying off.

Fresh off LSU’s 131-44 demolition of N.C. Central, Johnson’s leadership was on full display. She dropped 22 points, leading the charge as the Tigers notched their ninth straight win. The game was a team effort, with eight players scoring in double figures, but Johnson set the tone early. In the second quarter, she scored the first nine points, helping LSU outscore the Eagles 37-0 in that period.

Johnson is aware of her role now. After starting every game in her freshman year, snagging SEC Freshman of the Year honors, averaging 14.9 points and 5.5 rebounds during the LSU’s championship run, and supposedly leading behind the scenes, the junior guard acknowledges she needs to do more than that this year. 

“I think my role is different now, and I have to be a leader, consistently,” she stressed on her podcast.

While Kim Mulkey wishes Johnson to be more of a vocal leader and a stand out, she has faith in her #4. Even before the season began, she made it clear, “I’ll support her one hundred and ten percent.” Moreover, the baller is learning from one of the best leaders in the game: Chelsea Gray, aka the “Point Gawd.” 

Chelsea Gray shares leadership wisdom with Flau’jae Johnson as Angel Reese transitions to WNBA

On her podcast Best of Both Worlds, Flau’jae Johnson sat down with the Las Vegas Aces superstar to get some advice. “Everybody says communication is huge,” Gray began. “But the biggest thing is how you communicate with each person—it’s totally different.” 

She broke it down, explaining how she tailors her leadership approach for each teammate: “You don’t lead the same way every single time and every season. You have core values, but you adjust.” And we know for a fact that Gray’s advice is gold. After all, she’s a three-time WNBA champ and ranks 8th on the all-time assist leaderboard. 

Her leadership isn’t just about calling plays. She is known for understanding people. She shared how she’s the one who’ll stop a timeout to correct a play on the spot, balancing tough love with trust. Now, with Gray’s wisdom, Mulkey’s trust, and her own passion, Johnson is already crushing it. LSU is undefeated. Could she be the key to another national title?