LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson Unveils Bold Vision to ‘Attack’ NIL for Billionaire Status Amid Mass Resistance

Some athletes see chaos and crumble, while others see it and build an empire. LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson is firmly in the second camp. The rapper and hooper isn’t just playing the NIL game, she’s trying to master it, stacking over 40 deals with major brands like Apple Cash, JBL Audio, and Mercedes-Benz.

While many critics worry that NIL is destroying college sports, Johnson sees it as the first step toward a much bigger goal: becoming a billionaire.

How Is Flau’jae Johnson Using NIL as a Billionaire Blueprint?

There’s no denying that NIL and the transfer portal have flipped college basketball on its head. This year’s March Madness, for instance, had no real Cinderella runs, a change many blame on the new landscape.

With roster stability and long-term player development often taking a backseat to quick moves and brand deals, critics argue that loyalty is a dying concept. However, Johnson has shown the world that loyalty and NIL can go hand in hand.

Since arriving at LSU in 2022, Johnson has remained with the team while building her off-court empire through NIL. A key reason for this is that she views NIL not just as a source of income, but as a mindset. “Honestly, you gotta attack it,” she said. She considers NIL nothing more than a “stepping stone.”

“I know that basketball and music are just stepping stones for what I really want to be,” she explained. “I want to be a billionaire, I want to be a businesswoman, you know what I’m saying? I want to own multiple companies. So, I know there’s going to be ups and downs with it, but I’m going to attack it.”

When she arrived at LSU in 2022, she hadn’t played a minute of college ball but already had an NIL deal with Puma. That move was particularly bold, considering LSU has been a Nike-sponsored university since 1995. Her mom and manager, Kia Brooks, orchestrated the deal before Johnson ever suited up in purple and gold.

“And so, I think you have to go attack everything with the mindset of, I don’t know, I’m in uncertain territory, but I know I’m going to leave my mark,” Johnson added. “I know I’m going to make something happen because I’m a hustler.” This approach set the tone for the years to come.

Brooks fully supports her daughter’s vision. “@flaujae, continue to pave the way and share knowledge with the world. They really need and appreciate genuine hearts like yourself,” Brooks wrote on Instagram. That initial Puma partnership was just the beginning.

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In fact, the Puma deal has deepened over time. In 2024, Johnson unveiled her own player-exclusive sneaker, the All-Pro NITRO PE Flau’jae Edition. The shoes were deeply personal, featuring camouflage patterns in honor of her late father, “Big 4” on the tongue, and handwritten notes from her mom stitched inside. It was her personal history stitched into leather and laces.

To Johnson, NIL is as much about creating meaning and financial freedom as it is about money. She credits her mom, who has become a savvy investment advisor for her. Johnson has previously spoken about her ventures in real estate, aimed at building passive income.

“Investing back into myself, into my brand, I feel like that’s part of the smartest decision that I made,” Johnson told Business Insider.

Johnson’s strategy is also rooted in understanding the messy reality of NIL, where players constantly move through the transfer portal and schools engage in open bidding wars.

While fans have dubbed it the “Wild West” and critics lament the decline of loyalty, Johnson sees opportunity. She educates herself, using AI tools and studying the stories of past athletes who went broke after earning millions.

“Like, how do you make $100 million and go broke?” she asked.

Unfortunately, it’s a grim reality for many. According to a 2009 Sports Illustrated report, 60% of NBA players go broke within five years of retirement. Johnson is determined not to become part of that statistic. For her, financial literacy is about survival.

That’s why every new deal Johnson signs feels intentional. Her contract with the women’s basketball league Unrivaled includes equity, setting her up for passive income long after her college career ends.

Her campaigns with brands like Apple Cash, Tampax, Doritos, and JanSport are all part of the foundation for the larger brand she is building. She is fully aware that the ground is shifting beneath her feet.

With revenue-sharing caps on the horizon, tightening rosters, and schools beginning to operate more like professional front offices, some athletes might feel intimidated.

Not Johnson. She embraces the chaos because she believes that’s where hustlers thrive. Each year, she notes, the NIL landscape changes. And each year, she has been ready for it. For Johnson, NIL is a game of chess. And she is playing to win.