LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson inks NIL deal with pro league Unrivaled

Electric LSU women’s basketball guard Flau’jae Johnson is among the 14 college stars who have signed an NIL deal with pro women’s league Unrivaled, the league announced Saturday.

Also signing a deal is guard MiLaysia Fulwiley, who transferred to LSU this offseason after two seasons with rival South Carolina.

Unrivaled, founded in 2023, is a three-on-three women’s basketball league with six teams. Its season takes place during the WNBA offseason and offers an alternative to playing overseas, which many WNBA stars do once their season ends.

Now the league is investing in college basketball’s current stars with NIL deals. Johnson is renewing her deal with Unrivaled after signing one in December. Unlike her previous contract, she won’t have an ownership stake in the league, according to ESPN.

USC’s JuJu Watkins, UCLA’s Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice and Sienna Betts, Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo, UConn’s Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong, TCU’s Olivia Miles, Texas’ Madison Booker, Iowa State’s Audi Crooks, South Carolina’s Ta’Niya Latson and Michigan’s Syla Swords have also signed deals with Unrivaled.

Johnson averaged 18.6 points per game in her junior season and decided not to enter the WNBA Draft. She’ll come back to Baton Rouge looking to win her second championship with the program.

Since entering college, Johnson has been one of the sport’s most valuable commodities in the NIL sphere. That’s due not only to her standout personality and skills on the court, but also because of her work as a rapper.