LSU star Flau’jae Johnson carries bearded dragon into final NCAA Tournament run of college career

Flau’jae Johnson’s career stands out not only for her on-court accomplishments but for defying the transfer-heavy landscape of the modern NIL era in college sports.

More than four years ago, Johnson committed to LSU. Fast-forward to 2026, and she’s never left the school where she first enrolled. Her ties to the Southeastern Conference powerhouse run so deep she buried her beloved pet, a bearded dragon named Four in a nod to her jersey number, on the Baton Rouge campus.

On Friday, Johnson will take the court for the final time in a Tigers’ jersey as she concludes her prolific college basketball career. 

But when LSU tips off against 15th-seeded Jacksonville in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Johnson’s other bearded dragon, Champ, will be with her — in spirit at the very least.

Most of Johnson’s teammates would likely prefer to avoid the reptile. But LSU guard Izzy Besselman, a close friend of Johnson, has been tricked into opening a basket she thought was empty but actually contained the bearded dragon.

Johnson is contemplating bringing Champ to the gym for practice sessions, noting some of her teammates bring along their dogs.

LSU STAR FLAU’JAE JOHNSON SAYS UNRIVALED LEAGUE ‘CHANGING THE GAME’ AS SHE JOINS IN NIL PARTNERSHIP

Nevertheless, with her final run on the horizon, Johnson said she’s embracing the challenge ahead, no matter how far LSU advances. 

“March is always a good month,” she told reporters during the SEC Tournament. “I love March. The thing is, this is when everyone’s the most focused, and you just got to rely on your work.”

Johnson, who is also a recording artist and is signed to Roc Nation, has a morning routine that includes watching game film with her coach and fitting in workouts outside team practices. Several brands have also partnered with Johnson, and she makes time to fulfill commitments associated with those deals.

Besselman noted Johnson’s ability to bring out the best in her teammates. 

“Seeing how hard she works motivates me and everybody else in this locker room,” Besselman told Yahoo Sports. “It’s a good person to look up to.”

Johnson’s coach, Kim Mulkey, is known for her “tough love” approach, a style that has produced results with three national titles at Baylor and another at LSU. Johnson said Mulkey helped shape her into a more efficient and ultimately better player.

“It could be easier to go into the transfer portal, go to a team with a terrible record and average 30,” Johnson said. “I could do that. I did that in high school. You know what I’m saying? College is not much different.

“But I want to play with All-Americans. I want to play with a tough coach who won championships. I want to play with people so I can learn how to be efficient. I want to play in positions where it’s not favorable for me and still come out on top. For me, it’s more so, I like to do the hard stuff.”

Johnson is on track to compete in Unrivaled as soon as next year after already signing an NIL deal with the women’s 3-on-3 league.

Mulkey said she believes Johnson is one of the best athletes to have played at LSU in part because of her philanthropy, but also for what she did for the program’s trajectory.

“She took a chance on LSU when what did we have to sell?” Mulkey said on senior night. “We just got here, and she was the first McDonald’s All-American that I signed at LSU. The story on Flau’jae will be all those things I just mentioned, but the greatest story of all to me is she stayed four years at LSU and will graduate. 

“When you think of college athletics now, people don’t do it anymore. And she loves LSU, and, in return, LSU embraced her and loved her back.”

LSU earned a No. 2 seed in this year’s women’s basketball Division I tournament. The Tigers will play in the Sacramento regional.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.