JuJu Watkins takes subtle shot at Flau'jae Johnson as rival coaches to lead Overtime select's 5v5 basketball showdown

After a stellar season for the LSU Tigers, guard Flau'jae Johnson opted against declaring for the 2025 WNBA Draft and instead stayed for an extra season in college basketball. Furthermore, despite being linked with an entry into the transfer portal, Johnson also stayed at LSU.

Johnson has had a busy offseason. On Friday, she coached Team Flau'jae against injured USC Trojans star JuJu Watkins, who coached Team JuJu, at the marquee 5-on-5 Overtime Select Takeover event at the OTE Arena in Atlanta.

In clips posted on the "Overtime Select" Instagram page, the two college basketball stars threw shade at each other in a lighthearted manner before the game, with Watkins' verbal salvo, causing the multi-talented Johnson to pause dramatically.

"This is really where I belong, you know what I mean girl? Coaching these girls, I'm excited," Flau'jae Johnson said.

"I'm a little bit nervous, I've never coached before," JuJu Watkins said. "You're gonna lose but it's all love at the end of the day."

"I hope you got your JuJu with you," Johnson replied.

Team JuJu won 5-1 against Team Flau'jae validating the Trojans star's pre-game trash talk aimed at the LSU guard. After the game, Johnson and JuJu Watkins shook hands and their lighthearted banter continued.

“Hey bro, good game bro,” JuJu Watkins said.

“Good game bro, good game bro. I am JuJu, I win everything," Johnson replied.

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Flau'jae Johnson celebrates Overtime Select impact

The Overtime Select League where Flau'jae Johnson coached against JuJu Watkins was launched last year. The league pits the best high school talent (15-18 years old) in the country against each other in an eight-team format, including playoffs and the "Takeover" showpiece where the college basketball stars mentor the young hoopers.

During her postgame news conference after the showcase game, Johnson celebrated the impact of the Overtime Select League on the futures of young basketball stars.

“I didn’t have this opportunity, you know what I’m saying? To be on such a stage, and it’s because they’re such elite players," Flau'jae Johnson said. "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.”

Last year, Flau'jae Johnson was once again on the losing side at the Takeover event where she went up against former UConn Huskies star Paige Bueckers' Team Bueckers.