Flau’jae Johnson is one of the best examples of how college athletes can use NIL to grow their brand in this new era. Not only does she star on the basketball court at LSU, but she has also used the exposure to grow her music career as a rapper signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation.
Johnson has an NIL valuation of $1.2 million according to On3 that ranks her No. 1 among women’s basketball players and No. 14 across all college athletes. She has endorsement deals with big-name brands like Powerade, Apple, Amazon and more.
At the same time, Johnson understands that she is incredibly fortunate to be in this position as not all college athletes make this type of NIL money. She explained her approach to how she balances the pressures of navigating this business space while also focusing on her basketball and music.
“I feel real strong about it,” Johnson told ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. “The money is a blessing, don’t get me wrong. I got to change my family’s life and invest in everything. But the thing for me is more so the accountability and building that business brand and trust. If you promote something and you do everything the way you’re supposed to do it, you’re gonna get more and more deals and more and more good karma. So for me it’s handling my business and being a businesswoman. Not playing with people’s time.
“If I’ve gotta do the post or I’ve gotta do the content, that’s what I’ve gotta do. That only lines up for bigger things. I’m happy to be able to have that on my plate. A lot of kids don’t have NIL deals. People think you go to college and I’m about to get this NIL. It don’t work like that. So I’m blessed.”
Johnson has been a key contributor for the Tigers over the past two seasons, winning a national title with the team as a true freshman in 2022. She took another step forward this past season to average 14.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.1 steals per game while earning All-SEC honors.
With Angel Reese moving on to the WNBA this offseason, Johnson will be tasked with taking on an even bigger leadership role in 2024-25. It could truly be the breakout moment for her after the past two seasons.
Through it all, she has remained loyal to her hometown of Savannah, Georgia. Johnson has been outspoken about the tough times she endured growing, including losing her father, an underground rapper named Camouflage, before she was even born.
That is what inspired her to pursue her own dreams of becoming a rapper, and she had done all she can to make a positive impact. Many of her songs speak out against gun violence, which is sadly the reason her dad was killed.
Now she is looking to show others that they too can make it out of tough situations. With the opportunities granted her through NIL, she has plans to give back to her city and continue to be an inspiration for the next generation.
“You’ve got to realize where I come from,” Johnson said. “I come from Savannah, Georgia. That city is nothing to play with. My dad died in that city. My mom’s dad got killed in that city. My stepdad got killed in that city. So it’s bigger than me because I see kids and I made it out. I know that I didn’t see nobody in a predicament. I couldn’t grab and reach and touch nobody in that place. I want to build a resource center in my city where I could really leave an imprint on my community because that’s where I gotta start. I want to show them that you can make it happen.
“You don’t got to sell drugs, you don’t gotta rob. You really don’t even gotta rap. You really don’t even gotta play basketball. I’m going to get my degree too. So I’m just trying to show the kids you can do it in a positive way. That impact is so necessary. I always use the quote, ‘Make sure you aspire to inspire before you expire.'”
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