The LSU star Flau’jae Johnson along with UConn standout Paige Bueckers attended the All-Star game between Team WNBA and Team USA at the Footprint Center. To say that the All-Star game was hit would be an understatement, as Team USA (109-117) fell to a roster led by MVP Arike Ogunbowale. Her gameplay was enough to prove her worthwhile, creating a special place in the audience’s hearts. And how could Flau’jae Johnson remain unaffected? For her, it was the perfect moment to make quite a request.

“I think my favorite part of All-Star weekend was watching Arike obliterate Team USA,” Johnson said, via Best of Both Worlds with Flau’jae. Despite the presence of her dear friend Angel Reese, Johnson couldn’t take her eyes off Ogunbowale. Completely mesmerized, she decided to make a strange request to Ogunbowale. She revealed, “I asked for her jersey, but I did not get it.”

Though Johnson may not have gotten her initial request of asking for Ogunbowale’s jersey during the WNBA All-Star game, the future had a rather different interaction for her in-store. On the same podcast, the 20-year-old revealed, “She (Ogunbowale) was rocking out with me at the Fenty party, so I guess I’ll take that in place of a jersey,” said Johnson. Despite that, Johnson seemed unsatisfied and made another request.

Understanding the significance of the All-Star jersey, Johnson wants Ogunbowale to give her some other jersey instead. “I guess, but you still want to throw me a jersey, Arike? At least can I get a jersey? Like, it doesn’t have to be the All-Star jersey. I know that’s a legendary jersey. Can I please get a jersey?” she asked. Well, Johnson’s being a fangirl is understandable for everyone especially due to Ogunbowale’s performance.

For Arike Ogunbowale, the All-Star game was more than a matchup

The WNBA All-Star game’s Arike Ogunbowale was impressive beyond words in the game. In just 31 minutes, she contributed an outstanding 34 points and 6 assists to her team’s total. For Ogunbowale, the All-Star game was more than just a matchup—it was a chance to prove her worth to those who omitted her from Team USA. Something that even Johnson pointed out, saying, “I think she took it to heart when she was left out of that Team USA conversation…I watched it, and barely any of the shots hit the rim; it was crazy.”

It all began in June with the revelation of Team USA’s 12-player roster. Despite being a four-time All-Star in her sixth WNBA season, Ogunbowale’s name wasn’t on the list.

Her omission was particularly shocking, as she was the second-leading scorer across the WNBA, at that time. “When it comes to (the Olympic trials), it really doesn’t have much to do with your game. It’s really about who they feel fits with the team,” said Ogunbowale. According to her, she was a victim of politics within the Team USA selection committee. She was left off just to allow others to fill her spot, so she withdrew her name before the final roster was revealed.

As of now, she’s enduring a streak of three losses since the Olympic break. What do you think? Will she be able to make a comeback for the Wings, or will she end up giving her jersey to Johnson? Stay tuned to find out!

Stay tuned for more such updates. And join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show”. Our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.