Flau’jae Johnson Breaks Down ‘Motivating Factor’ Against Sky
Flau’jae Johnson finished the Seattle Storm’s 95-90 loss ot the Chicago Sky just three points shy of her career high with 25 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. She was the leading scorer in the game.
It’s no coincidence that Johnson posted her second-highest scoring game of the season against the Sky. She’s looking to prove something to the organization.
“I felt like Chicago; they passed me up in the draft,” Johnson said in the postgame media availability, per a video by The Ballers Magazine. “So, it’s like, as a competitor, you’re like, ‘Okay, I got a chip on my shoulder.’ And I’mma have that for the rest of my career. You’ve got to find ways to motivate you, and that’s definitely one of the motivating factors.”
Flau’jae Johnson’s landing spot was one of the main storylines of the 2026 WNBA Draft
Johnson was one of the more polarizing prospects in this year’s draft. Some mock drafts had her as a lottery pick; some thought she’d go to the Toronto Tempo just outside the lottery; and others predicted that she could even fall as far as tenth.
Chicago would have been an intriguing landing spot for Johnson since she won an NCAA title with Angel Reese at LSU. But the Sky traded Reese to the Dream and signed a bunch of guards in free agency, bringing in Skylar Diggins, Natasha Cloud, and DiJonai Carrington alongside returnee Courtney Vandersloot. So, they drafted Gabriela Jaquez, who could slot into the guard-heavy roster as a do-it-all wing/ forward.
The Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire passed on Johnson as well, drafting Kiki Rice and Iyana Martín Carrión instead. The Golden State Valkyries eventually picked Johnson eighth overall, but traded her to the Storm. Being traded on draft night probably isn’t a great feeling, but it was a blessing in disguise for Johnson.
Golden State has a roster full of veteran guards and serious win-now aspirations. In Seattle, she is a focal point on offense and gets all the shots and minutes she needs to develop. She probably wouldn’t have had those same opportunities in Chicago either.
Johnson has been one of the most productive rookies this season
Johnson may not have been a top draft pick, but she’s certainly producing like one. The only rookies who average more points per game than her are Olivia Miles and Azzi Fudd, the top two picks. Johnson is also tied with teammate Awa Fam for the most rebounds per game among rookies—a strong feat for a guard. Moreover, she ranks eighth in assists per game among first-year players wth 2.9.
The LSU alum has also made an impact on the other end of the floor. She ranks fourth in steals per game among rookies, trailing only Fudd, Laura Juskaite, and Miles, and third in blocks per game with 0.8. For a while, Johnson and Fudd were the only guards in the W to average at least one block per game. They are slightly below that threshold now, but remain the best shot-blocking guards.
The only big complaint about Johnson’s rookie season is her inefficiency. She’s shooting just 38.6% from the field and 27.8% from three. However, that should hopefully clean up as the Storm’s young core improves, she gets more experience, and the roster around them gets better as well.
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Elaine Blum covers women’s basketball for On SI from Europe. She has been writing about women's hoops since 2023 and holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism and a master’s degree in American Studies with a focus on women’s and gender studies. She started playing basketball when she was 10 years old and won several league and state championships at the youth and senior level.