Flau’jae Johnson’s mom Kia Brooks expresses gratitude for Samsung, NBC and more after LSU star’s successful outing at Met Gala 2025

Flau'jae Johnson made an impression at the 2025 Met Gala, and her mom is thanking everyone who made her experience possible. The LSU star's mom, Kai Brooks, also serves as her manager. Brooks shared photos of her daughter at the Met Gala and the after-party that followed on Instagram on Thursday.

In her Instagram caption, Brooks thanked brands like NBC, E News, CoverGirl, and Samsung, who worked with Johnson for the big night, as well as the individuals who helped her with her look:

"After a whirlwind few days of travel and back to back commitments following the Met Gala, I'm thrilled to finally express my heartfelt gratitude to our incredible crew who made @flaujae Met Gala experience truly unforgettable," part of Brooks' Instagram caption read.

Johnson worked with stylist Sandra Vainqueur to create her look for the Met Gala. The Tigers baller wore a Walter Collection Dress with jewelry by Grown Brilliance. CoverGirl helped her create a soft glam makeup look to complete the ensemble. She posted photos from the event on Instagram Monday night.

"Not the same girl you MET before ❤️#MetGala2025," Johnson's Instagram caption said.

The LSU star also made an appearance at the Met Gala after party in a new outfit. She shared more Instagram photos from the Samsung Galaxy photo booth at the after party. Johnson posed with designer LaQuan Smith and WNBA star Breanna Stewart.

Johnson has made the most of NIL. According to On3, she has an NIL valuation of $1.5 million, the most of any women's college basketball player. She has inked deals with top brands such as Powerade, JBL Audio, and The Athlete's Foot. The LSU guard's hard work with collaborations and her proven NIL success allowed her to work with a variety of brands and designers for the Met Gala.

NCAA Women's Basketball: NCAA Tournament Spokane Regional Practice - Source: Imagn

Flau'jae Johnson to return to LSU for senior season

Flau'jae Johnson was eligible to declare for the 2025 WNBA draft, but has instead decided to return to LSU for her senior season. The guard has spent the entirety of her college career thus far with the Tigers and is coming off of her best season yet.

As a junior, Johnson averaged a career-high 18.6 points, second-best on LSU. She added 5.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game and showed her defensive depth with 1.7 steals and 0.9 blocks per game. She made 34 starts for the Tigers and helped lead the team to the Elite Eight.

"I definitely want to win, but I want to make sure I'm being developed to be the player that I want to be in the WNBA," Johnson told Front Office Sports about her goals for the upcoming season. "Trying to find out how I can make that happen this year. I want to be as prepared as possible."

Johnson will return to Baton Rouge this fall and aim to grow her skill set with a successful squad before entering the 2026 WNBA draft.

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