Flau’jae Johnson’s time at Baton Rouge is all set to end after this season. When she wore the LSU Tigers jersey for the first time back in 2022, no one expected her to become one of the best players the program has seen in recent years. But four seasons later, it’s hard even to imagine a Tigers roster without her name. However, in the 2025–26 NCAA season, every game carries a different weight for her.

During a recent appearance on SportsCenter, Johnson was asked what she’s been telling herself while embracing this last ride with the Tigers. And her answer revealed exactly where her mindset stands.

“It’s good to be here, but it’s just about being intentional and really like taking everything in,” Flau’jae Johnson said. “I feel like this year I never took anything for granted. I’ve always been a hard worker, but this year is about really being here, really being in the moment, knowing every game is pretty much like my last one. So I just try to be really intentional about what I’m doing and how I’m playing.”

After seriously thinking about taking a jump to the WNBA last spring, Johnson chose to return to Baton Rouge for one last ride in purple and gold. And in the ongoing season, she is definitely making the most of it.

Johnson is currently averaging 13.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game while leading LSU to a 22–3 record. But this kind of impact didn’t start overnight.

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

She arrived at this program and played a huge role in the Tigers’ 2023 national championship run. As a sophomore, she elevated her postseason résumé, averaging 20.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game during LSU’s Elite Eight push. And in the following year, she nearly carried the Tigers back to the Final Four again.

However, after the Tigers lost to UCLA in the Elite Eight, everyone expected her to join the WNBA. She checked every box and even seriously considered leaving. But she has some unfinished business here.

“It was a thought to leave,” Flau’jae Johnson said, “just for the business side. Like, people think that your NIL stops when you go to the league, but in fact, you actually get more money, so that was a big deal.”

Instead of walking away, the 22-year-old chose development. She returned with a clearer vision not just to become a better scorer, but to evolve. To become more of a “playmaker.” To lead and to prove she can impact the game in every facet before the professional chapter begins.

And as the season continues to move forward, that mindset is being tested every day.

“Be where my feet are”: Flau’jae Johnson reveals her mindset ahead of LSU–South Carolina Showdown

The No. 6-ranked Tigers are gearing up to play one of their most anticipated matchups of this season. This Saturday night, the Tigers will host the No. 3 South Carolina Gamecocks at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. The stakes are national. The attention is unavoidable.

But for Johnson, her approach hasn’t changed.

“I just did a new calendar,” she told Alicia Jay on We Need To Talk. “I don’t have anything but my weekly schedule. So, for next Sunday, I’ll do my whole week for next week, but I’ve got to be where my feet are because that’s my focus.

“But also, obviously, it’s a big game. It’s going to be one of the biggest games, I feel like, in women’s basketball history. I feel like it’s going to be a largely-watched, highly-anticipated game.”

With a rivalry that dates back to the days of Angel Reese and Aliyah Boston, this year adds another layer to this matchup. MiLaysia Fulwiley, who used to play for Dawn Staley, will face South Carolina for the first time since she transferred to LSU. That’s where Flau’jae Johnson comes in, who has Fulwiley’s back no matter what comes.

“I expect her to play how she always plays,” she further added. “With an edge, with her speed, with her aggression, with her confidence. That’s up to us to build into her, like, ‘Hey. No matter what, we’ve got your back.’ It is just another game… I know she’s going to have a lot of things on her mind, so it’s my job to let her know that we’re with (her), we’re riding.”

For a player who once leaned on veteran leaders, Johnson is now the steady presence in the locker room. And in a season she refuses to take for granted, games like this aren’t just about rankings or rivalries, they’re about proving she’s ready for whatever comes next.