"Get some new refs": Flau'jae Johnson joins Paige Bueckers in retired Overtime coaches list with clear message

After losing to JuJu Watkins' team at the Overtime Select Takeover on Friday, Flau'jae Johnson expressed her intention to retire from coaching. However, Team Flau'jae won the BETX celebrity game at the L.A. Covention Center the following day.

Overtime shared an Instagram post featuring the LSU star, announcing her decision to retire from coaching. She also called out the referee who oversaw the game against Team JuJu, urging the showcase to get new ones.

"Third of all, yeah, I think I'm retiring from coaching," Johnson said on Saturday. "But I wanna shoutout my squad. They played really hard and I still feel like I had the best players on the floor. Overtime, bro, get some new refs, bro. I intentionally fouled at the end. We intentionally fouled at the end, and after I intentionally fouled, he didn't even call it.

"He looked me in the eye and didn't call it. I'm only three, whatever, I'll take on a chance. But bro like, I think I'm retiring. I'm gonna retire from basketball coaching. There's nothing I can do. I gave my best, I gave my all."

Johnson is the second collagiate star to retire from coaching at Overtime Select after former UConn star Paige Bueckers. Last year, Team Paige defeated Team Flau'jae 105-102 in the Next Up 5s.

Flau'jae Johnson endorses Overtime Select game

Flau'jae Johnson does not hold back in expressing her passion for basketball. She also grew up largely without a mentor in the women’s basketball space. Johnson understands how lucky the current Overtime Select players are to have an opportunity to further develop their talents.

“I didn’t have this opportunity, you know what I’m saying?,” Johnson said on Sept. 12, 2024, via SI.

“To be on such a stage, and it’s because they’re such elite players. Just seeing all the good things that they're getting, seeing how the rise of women’s basketball is affecting them. Three years ago, this league would never (have) happened, four or five years ago, six years ago.”

The Overtime Select league was launched in 2024 as a platform for young female players aged 15-18 to showcase their skills. With eight teams, college basketball stars like Johnson, JuJu Watkins and Paige Bueckers mentored the next generation during the Takeover event.