“I was hoping there was not going to be a lockout.” That was Flau’jae Johnson speaking. And in many ways, she sounded like a lot of us who feared a new WNBA season might not take place when the CBA negotiations were dragging on for far too long. Well, those negotiations have now birthed the highest-paid rookie class in league history. And as the eighth overall pick in this class, she definitely appreciates that struggle.

But beyond just gratitude, Flau’jae also feels a sense of responsibility. As she puts it, “My goal is to leave it better than I found it. The next generation of hoopers can see that this was a moment, and so we got to take and then make it better for them.” For her, this paradigm-shifting moment is as much of “a responsibility thing” as it is “a gratitude thing.” Of course, she’s excited to be one of the first beneficiaries of this CBA revolution. But she also sees it as a responsibility, and she is “taking it with full force.”

Flau’jae Johnson was selected as the eighth overall pick by the second-year expansion team, the Golden State Valkyries. However, less than an hour after the draft, she got traded to the Seattle Storm, who acquired her rights in exchange for the No. 16 overall pick Marta Suárez and a 2028 second-round selection.

With the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), Flau’jae Johnson will earn a base salary of $309,622 in her first season. In total, her four-year rookie contract is approximately $1,386,092. Compared to what it was before this landmark CBA, she will make nearly four times what last year’s No. 1 pick made in 2025. Even more impressive, the No. 1 pick in this 2026 draft, Azzi Fudd, will have a $500,000 rookie salary. That’s more than six times what last year’s top overall pick, Paige Bueckers, earned.

According to Flau’jae, when the negotiations were dragging on for too long, and a lockout was looming, she was just “like, can I please have a rookie season?” But as she puts it, the WNBPA really handled it well, negotiated, and got what the league and the players deserve. And for her, she just feels blessed and grateful to come into the league at this time.

The current WNBA CBA is a seven-year deal that officially begins with the 2026 season and runs through 2032. Maybe by the time the next negotiation begins, Flau’jae will be a significant part of it, as she has promised.

Flau’jae Johnson Shares Reaction to Draft Night Switch from Valkyries to Storm

Getting traded just about an hour after being selected by the Golden State Valkyries is definitely something Flau’jae Johnson didn’t expect. But in a way, she might have called it. Reacting to the move, she said, “That was crazy. My brother and I were actually talking about trades, and then it happened to me. So I was like, ” D**g”, I kind of jinxed myself on it.”

However, despite the unexpected nature of the trade, Flau’jae remains excited. She already expressed her desire and readiness to make an immediate impact in Seattle. She even described the Seattle Storm as a “very good organization,” while adding that she is both “happy and excited” to join them.

Apart from Flau’jae Johnson, the Seattle Storm also held the No. 3 overall pick, selecting Spanish prospect Awa Fam Thiam. They also picked Taina Mair from Duke University with the No. 14 pick, and Grace VanSlooten from Michigan State at No. 39. 

Interestingly, they open their season at home against the Golden State Valkyries on May 8. Hopefully, Flau’jae gets to feature against the program that would have been her starting point in the league.