The LSU women's basketball season came to an end last weekend when the Tigers fell to UCLA in the Elite Eight. Following the loss, LSU star Flau'Jae Johnson had a decision to make. Stay in school or declare for the WNBA draft?
Despite only playing three years of college ball, Johnson's age made her eligible for the professional ranks.
Per reports, Johnson did not enter her name in the WNBA draft and she's set to return to college. But Johnson is yet to make an official announcement and the report did not confirm she was returning to LSU, even if Johnson is returning to college.
Should LSU fans be concerned?
For now, probably not.
Johnson is one of the biggest names in the sport. Few players carry the same star power and make the same impact on the court. She was a key part of LSU's run to a national championship in 2023 and has since emerged as one of the sport's top scorers. She averaged 18.6 points per game as a junior while earning all-conference honors from the SEC.
If Johnson was to put her name in the portal, she'd be the best player available and it would be the biggest portal bidding war that women's college basketball has seen. That can be tempting, especially with what Johnson has already done at LSU.
However, it doesn't seem likely. By all accounts, Johnson is in a good situation at LSU. Her relationship with Tigers' head coach Kim Mulkey is strong, and she already has a national spotlight. Per On3, Johnson's NIL valuation is $1.5 million, one of the top 100 marks in college sports.
LSU is committed to women's basketball. It paid up for Mulkey, and it paid to get Mulkey some of the top talent in the sport, including Johnson. If it did turn into a bidding war, that's not a problem for LSU. The Tigers can compete in the NIL and revenue sharing department.
Johnson knows LSU is a place where she can win a championship -- she's already done it once. It's hard to see her leaving to chase a ring with UConn or South Carolina.
After the UCLA loss, Mulkey wasn't shy about her appreciation for Johnson.
"I remember when I took the LSU job, Flau'jae Johnson was the first McDonald's All-American that I signed at LSU. Had not coached and won anything at LSU and she came to LSU. And so she jump-started our program, really," Mulkey said.
There are always portal surprises, but I'd expect to see Johnson wearing an LSU uniform next year.
"We brought in Angel (Reese) and lots of other players, but Flau'jae was a high school All-American and we got her. And so I'm forever indebted to Flau'jae Johnson," Mulkey said.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Will LSU star ...
