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“You Hard 4”: Bestowed By Massive Hometown Honor, LSU Superstar Leaves Shaquille O’Neal And Angel Reese Swelling With Pride

Published 08/25/2023, 2:22 AM EDT

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NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal has left an indelible mark wherever he’s been. Whether it’s the Los Angeles Lakers or the Miami Heat, Shaq usually earned plaudits for his greatness. He is a legend at his alma mater, LSU, as well. He often reps the Tigers with pride and that was the case again as one of their standout performers during the 2023 NCAA championship run was recently honored by her hometown of Savannah, Georgia.

Joining O’Neal in congratulating the 19-year-old was LSU Tigers superstar Angel Reese.

Shaquille O’Neal and Angel Reese highlight 19-year-old’s massive accomplishment

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19-year-old Flau’jae Johnson played a pivotal role in LSU’s triumph a few months ago. Moreover, she is not just a star on the court, but off it as well. Johnson is a rapper as well and uses Flau’jae as her stage name. She recently took to Instagram to share a series of pictures with her 1.6 Million followers. They highlighted the player’s recent achievement of having an entire intersection named in her honor.

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Named the ‘Flau’Jae Johnson Intersection’, it is located in Abercorn and West Montgomery Cross Road in Johnson’s hometown of Savannah, Georgia. The accomplishment took place after Georgia state representative Carl Gilliard introduced a resolution four months ago to name the junction after the player.

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It was a way to thank the 19-year-old for her extensive community service. It involved a $ 10,000 donation to the ‘Frank Callen Boys and Girls Club’ and gifting a separate $100,000 worth of basketball uniforms, sneakers, and other accessories.

Most of Johnson’s pictures highlighted her standing next to the newly inaugurated signboard with friends and family. She also attached a video in the post, showing her in the backseat as her close ones drove through the intersection. In a caption accompanying the post, Johnson highlighted her happiness of being “The YOUNGEST Person In Georgia To Have An Intersection!

 

 

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A post shared by Big 4️⃣ (@flaujae)

The post caught the attention of LSU alumnus Shaquille O’Neal. He shared it on his story with his 32.1 Million followers. Shaq wasn’t the only one who highlighted the teen athlete’s latest achievement. Johnson’s LSU teammate Angel Reese also took to Instagram to share her teammate’s post with her 2.5 Million followers. She also took to the comments section to write “you hard 4” as a worthy praise.

The 4x NBA champion may not have an intersection named in his honor. He does, however, have a full-sized statue outside the Staples Center and a ‘Boys and Girls’ Foundation building bearing his name. Shaq highlighting Johnson’s accomplishment is not the first time that he has promoted the player on social media.

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Being an aspiring musician, Shaq couldn’t help appreciating Johnson’s rap skills

A few weeks ago, Flau’jae Johnson uploaded a post on her Instagram handle, highlighting her latest rap track ‘4 My Fans’. The aspiring artist could be seen bringing out her verses and vibing to her own track in a prominent style.

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The post caught the attention of the former Lakers star. Shaq is a renowned music artist himself, with experience in rap and electronic music. Due to this, he knows how to appreciate good talent when he sees it. By sharing the post on his story, the 51-year-old ensured that his followers were able to catch a glimpse of this individual who excelled not only on the basketball court but behind the mic as well.

What are your thoughts on an intersection being named after Johnson? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Ashmit Kumar

714Articles

One take at a time

Ashmit is an NBA author at EssentiallySports. With a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism, he carries a deep passion for writing and researching about basketball events around the world. Ashmit specializes in bringing captivating stories that provide in-depth coverage of teams, players, and significant events associated with the world of professional basketball.
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Edited by:

Pragya Vashisth