April 14, 2026
After being selected at No. 8 by the Golden State Valkyries, she was traded to the Seattle Storm
In an unexpected move at the 2026 WNBA Draft, Louisiana State University’s Flau’Jae Johnson was traded shortly after being drafted with the No. 8 pick by the Golden State Valkyries.
The Seattle Storm announced that it traded the draft rights of the No. 16 overall pick, Marta Suarez, and the team’s 2028 2nd round pick to the Valkyries in exchange for the draft rights to Johnson. The team welcomed her via a social media post.
“Flau’jae is one of the most dynamic, creative, and explosive players in this draft, and we’re excited to get another first-round pick to select her,” said Storm General Manager Talisa Rhea in a written statement. “Her playmaking, ability to score in multiple ways, and energy on both ends of the court will impact our team immediately. We can’t wait for Flau’jae to get to Seattle.”
Johnson just completed her collegiate career, during which she won an NCAA Championship as a freshman in 2023. She averaged 11 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, and was named the 2022–23 SEC (Southeastern Conference) Freshman of the Year, as well as being named to the SEC All-Freshman Team as the starting shooting guard. She ended her career at LSU, averaging 14.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 46.5% shooting from the field during her senior year. She scored in double digits 27 times, including nine games with more than 20 points.
This past season, Johnson was named First-Team All-SEC and Third-Team All-American. In her four years, she achieved numerous accolades, including being named a Third-Team All-American in 2025, First-Team All-SEC (2025), and Second-Team All-SEC (2024). She became the sixth LSU player to score more than 2,000 career points.
Before attending LSU, the Georgia native played at Sprayberry High School in Marietta and was a 2022 McDonald’s All-American who finished her high school career as Sprayberry’s leading scorer.
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