New "Full Court Press" clip shows Kim Mulkey's decision to bench Flau'jae Johnson during SEC Tournament: "Next man up"

Flau'jae Johnson was one of three athletes, along with Hannah Hidalgo and Kiki Iriafen, to be featured in the second season of ESPN's Full Court Press. With the premiere on May 3rd, episodes 3 and 4 were released over the weekend.

In one of the clips circulating on X, LSU coach Kim Mulkey decided to keep Flau'jae Johnson out of the SEC Tournament due to a shin injury. Johnson is LSU’s leading scorer and averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game.

While keeping her out may seem like a tough decision, Kim Mulkey knew her players could take over. When a trainer informed the coach that Johnson’s shin was causing pain and that her status for the next game was uncertain, Mulkey responded:

“Okay, she doesn’t need to play. Take her to the doctor right now. Get X-rays, MRIs. Next man up. That’s how I handled it.”

Kim Mulkey said made the decision to sideline Johnson, independent of recommendations from medical staff. She added that the focus was on keeping Johnson healthy for the NCAA Tournament, and that playing through the injury was not considered an option.

Flau'jae Johnson explains that she was in “excruciating pain”

Flau'jae Johnson’s shin issues date back to LSU’s Feb. 16 game against Texas, according to CBS Sports. She wore a walking boot during warmups before the regular-season finale against Ole Miss.

In the video from Full Court Press, Johnson explained that she was in extreme pain, but was ready to play through it.

“I was in excruciating pain,” Johnson said. “... and I'm still not telling my coach. I'm just like, 'I'm good. I can play.' But I'm feeling it. Like, for real, for real.”

However, Mulkey noted that the pain had affected Johnson’s mental sharpness on the court. In LSU’s overtime loss, 88-85 to Alabama, Johnson scored six points, her season low.

Johnson remained active with the team throughout the SEC Tournament. During LSU’s win over Florida, she wore a boot on the bench and provided feedback to teammates during the game.

According to On3, Guard Mikaylah Williams described her as a “players’ coach” who helped with in-game adjustments and kept the team engaged.

LSU reached the SEC semifinals before falling to Texas. Former LSU star Flau'jae Johnson was replaced in the rotation by players including Aneesah Morrow and Williams.