$1.5 million NIL-valued Flau'jae Johnson recalls performing with $170 million worth Lil Wayne on her birthday: “It was lit”

Flau'jae Johnson reminisced on an iconic moment in her music career. The LSU basketball star, who has an NIL valuation of $1.5 million according to On3, opened up about her collaboration with rapper Lil Wayne.

On Thursday, Johnson sat down with five-star recruit Tatianna Griffin for an interview with Overtime Select. Instead of discussing their shared sport, Griffin had a question about Johnson's music endeavors.

"Who was your favorite artist to perform with this year?," Griffin asked.

Johnson responded, naming Lil Wayne, who has a net worth of $170 million (per Celebrity Net Worth).

"I'll say Lil Wayne, because it was on my birthday," Johnson said. "Lowkey like, I performed with him and then that night, I had a birthday party. It was lit."

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When she's not busy balling on the court for LSU, Johnson is creating new music or performing her rap and R&B songs. Griffin drew a comparison between Johnson's two passions.

"Do you get more nervous before basketball games or concerts?," Griffin asked.

"That is the same," Johnson replied. "I get butterflies, and then when the ball tips off, it be gone ... as soon as I walk on the stage, I be nervous."

Flau'jae Johnson's development at LSU

Flau'jae Johnson continues to grow her skill set with each passing season at LSU. In her junior campaign, she contributed 18.6 points, 1.7 steals and 0.9 blocks per game, all second-best for LSU. Johnson also put up 5.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game and knocked down 46.8% of her shots, including 38.3% from beyond the arc.

Johnson helped guide LSU to a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament and a March Madness run to the Elite Eight. The star guard was eligible for the 2025 WNBA draft but decided to forgo the draft to return for her senior season with the Tigers.

In an episode of her "Best of Both Worlds" podcast, Johnson got real about her thoughts on the transfer portal.

"I hate the transfer portal," Johnson said. "I love it, but I hate it at the same time, because there's no developing."

In the era of NIL and the transfer portal, Flau'jae Johnson is set to become a rare example of a star player who spends the entirety of their college career at one school. She will aim to lead LSU to greatness in the upcoming campaign.

Also read: “They need to reunite”: Fans react as Flau'jae Johnson and Angel Reese get nominated for prestigious award

About the author

Lindsey Ware is a college sports journalist at Sportskeeda with over five years of experience working with publications such as The News & Observer, The Daily Tar Heel, Triangle Tribune and Cardiac Cane. She has also worked for Major League Baseball, The Holly Springs Salamanders, The Tri-City Chili Peppers, Tuffy Talk, Super Meteors Basketball, Just Good Network and Living Sport.

Lindsey has a Bachelor’s Degree in Media and Journalism from UNC Chapel Hill. Her education allowed Lindsey to gain experience in sports communication, which she honed in internships. Other than being a storyteller and sports fanatic, Lindsey is also a social media and marketing specialist.

Her favorite college team is UNC, although she grew up a N.C. State fan as both of her parents are Wolfpack alumni. Michael Jordan was a huge deal in North Carolina when Lindsey was growing up, and after a summer spent at UNC’s Sports Journalism Camp back in high school, Lindsey was set on being a Tar Heel.

Lindsey's favorite college coach of all time is Roy Williams. During her time attending UNC Chapel Hill and writing for The Daily Tar Heel, Lindsey was lucky enough to meet and speak with Williams a few times. He was like a celebrity on UNC’s campus and was beloved for his coaching style and success with the Tar Heels, accumulating three NCAA championship titles in 18 years.

When not watching or writing about sports, Lindsey enjoys reading, trying new restaurants and coffee shops, and spending time with my friends, family and dog. She also likes to journal, watch movies and paint.

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Edited by John Maxwell