No doubt that Kim Mulkey’s coaching approach is quite unique. To connect well with her players and motivate them, she often uses quotes to convey her messages. Her relationship with Flau’jae Johnson is no different. “I gave everything I had and what I kept, I lost forever,” the LSU head coach said once.

Johnson understood it well, just as Mulkey would have wanted her to. “I gave everything I had in this game. If I don’t give another inch, I don’t get that back….Put it all on the floor,” added Johnson. And there she was, contributing one of her best overall performances with LSU.

She had 24 points, five rebounds, three assists, and a block in LSU’s SEC opener, a 92-72 win against Missouri last season. Fast forward to now, Johnson’s approach is still the same. But the situation isn’t!

Flau’jae Johnson’s gutsy performances give way to much-needed rest

This season, the 19-year-old guard is a leading scorer, 6th highest in the SEC, and an experienced player on LSU’s roster. However, all this isn’t enough to secure her a place in LSU’s lineup against Ole Miss. Notably, this marked just the second game that LSU’s standout has missed in her collegiate career.

It was then that LSU’s head coach confirmed that Johnson would sit out the entire SEC tournament due to shin inflammation.

“I know she’s trying to mask the pain she’s in,” Mulkey said. “It’s just rest. We’ll get that inflammation down, and we’ll see the Flau’Jae that we need to see when we start playoffs.”

The 19-year-old LSU guard has been dealing with the issue since mid-February, but until now, she has managed to play through the pain. Brave, right? Well, she is. She was even a game-time decision against the Texas Longhorns on February 16th.

Despite her condition, she recorded 16 points, four rebounds, and two steals, contributing to LSU’s 65-58 loss against the Longhorns. Not just that—she even logged an exhausting 37 minutes in a game where Mulkey later insisted she was “fine.” But now, LSU is taking a different approach—prioritizing rest over immediate competition.

A Necessary Rest or a Cause for Concern?

Johnson’s recent performances show signs that her injury may have been taking a toll. In LSU’s recent overtime loss to Alabama, she had only six points on a rough 2-for-12 shooting night. Well, it’s her lowest output in over a year. As if that wasn’t enough, the game also snapped her incredible streak of 38 consecutive double-digit scoring performances.

“I don’t think Flau’jae’s best basketball has happened in the last couple of weeks,” Mulkey said. “So let’s rest her. Why put her through that? Because it’s just not worth it.” While she may not be at her fittest or most dominant at the moment, her caliber can’t be questioned.

Averaging a career-high of 18.9 points per game, Johnson has a shooting accuracy of 46.5% from the field. Even against SEC opponents, she recorded 17.2 points per game while shooting nearly 42%. Not just that—she even converted 35% of her three-pointers while averaging 5.5 rebounds per game.

All of this makes her a critical leader for the Tigers, bringing both skill and swagger to the court. Impressive, right? She does all this while balancing a flourishing rap career and business ventures.

Coming back to her injury, Mulkey made it clear this isn’t a stress fracture but rather a case of painful inflammation. With the NCAA Tournament just around the corner, this decision seems to be more about long-term health than immediate impact. But clearly, LSU is paying the price for Johnson’s absence.

The Rebels, standing 19-9 overall with a 10-6 SEC record, erased a 13-point halftime deficit to hand LSU its second loss in the last five games. It all came after the team posted a struggling defense on Aneesah Morrow and Mikaylah Williams.

“That decision was made by me knowing that we were going to miss 19 points a game and all her rebounding and her defensive stuff. But that’s OK,” said Mulkey. Well, yes—if the team’s scoring leader had been there to support, the result might have been a bit different. Especially when Johnson defends beyond expectations.

Despite all this, Mulkey and company seem unbothered, as health is paramount. “Win or lose, you are still a No. 3 seed. The conference tournament part of it, I feel like no matter what happens there, we’ve earned the right to host here. So whether we are a No. 2 seed, No. 3 seed, No. 4 seed, the most important thing is to get her healthy before the NCAA Tournament begins.”

The good news? LSU’s medical team believes rest is the key, and there’s no structural damage to worry about. But again, March Madness is unpredictable, and missing the SEC Tournament means Johnson won’t have high-level competition to shake off the rust before the Big Dance begins.