LSU women’s basketball head coach Kim Mulkey asserted that star guard Flau'jae Johnson is not letting her blossoming rap career interfere with her duties on the court .
The Tigers have relied heavily on Johnson the last two years in which they secured a national championship and Elite Eight berth. Over 72 games - only two of which she didn’t start - the 20-year-old averaged 13 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.
Heading into this season, Johnson is expected to once again play an integral role on Mulkey’s squad - which lost two starters from last year in forward Angel Reese and guard Hailey Van Lith. Ahead of this year’s campaign, the Savannah, Georgia native kept busy in the offseason, releasing her debut EP, “Best of Both Worlds,” back in June.
Speaking to reporters at LSU’s first official practice of the season, Mulkey shot down the notion that Johnson’s priorities aren’t centered around basketball. Asked if the player’s love for the sport gets overlooked, she said: “Not by me. That kid’s one of the more talented kids I’ve ever coached.
“I think what gets overlooked is I am amazed at how good she is at both and how much time it takes at both to be good, not just average, she’s just good. And she’s just got it all figured out, but she had to figure out when she got here.
“What she didn’t have figured out is on the floor and stuff like that as far as, you know, popping back up when you get hit in the mouth and things like that,” Mulkey continued. “But her work ethic is just incredible. I don’t know that she ever really gets tired.
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“If you remember, I said her freshman year, she thought she’s supposed to play 40 minutes a game and got just so dejected when I would take her out for no reason. And now she’s just moral leader and that kid’s soul is just precious, her heart is just joyous and good and the things I could tell all of y’all about her that she does, you wouldn’t believe.”
Mulkey has gone above and beyond to support Johnson in her musical endeavors, even making a brief appearance in the music video for her song “Came Out a Beast” with rap icon Lil Wayne. During the opening scene, the 62-year-old can be seen giving the Tigers a pep talk during a timeout.
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Discussing her relationship with Mulkey with Khristina Williams on the ‘In Case You Missed It’ podcast, Johnson said: "Coach Mulkey is supportive as long as I'm handling my business on the court, and she's gonna ride behind me one hundred and ten percent, and she do any of her players.
"It was a small ask. I told her, 'I have you ten minutes, you in and out.' She did her thing and we got it done. You know Coach Mulkey is a real superstar so I ain't know if know she was gonna put on the outfit and everything, but she really turned it up for me."
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