Q&A: Seattle Storm rookie, Flau’jae Johnson, wears many hats

Artist, athlete, entrepreneur, philanthropist, advocate and mentor are the ways Seattle Storm rookie, Flau’jae Johnson, describes herself in e.l.f. Cosmetics’ ‘Show Yourse.l.f.’ series.

Johnson, the 8th overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, was traded from the Golden State Valkyries to the Seattle Storm. The shooting guard boasts an impressive college resume from LSU where she averaged 14.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and shot 46.5% from the field in her senior year. Not only did she win an NCAA Championship during her LSU tenure, but she also racked up various accolades including, All-SEC honors and SEC Freshman of the Year.

Johnson sat down with NBC Sports to discuss her dual career as an athlete and artist, More to 4 Foundation, and partnership with e.l.f. Cosmetics, which spotlights her commitment to empowerment, mentorship and community impact.

Flau’jae Johnson’s interview with NBC Sports was lightly edited for length and clarity.

What made you decide to partner with e.l.f. [Cosmetics]?

Flau’jae Johnson: It was amazing. It was so natural and I think it just aligned very well. I’m very excited about this partnership just because who I am on the court and then who I am off the court and my beauty and in the standards that I believe and the confidence that I believe [and] I exemplify on and off the court. I feel like I want to show a different side of me and I feel like e.l.f. can help me do that while also inspiring so many young girls and guys around the world just to be yourself. Look at me. Yes, ‘Show Yourse.l.f.’ This is what I’m talking about. It was just so cool just being a Black woman, a dark-skinned woman, you know, and doing this type of campaign. It is just so beautiful. The representation, it just really matters. And I’m so thankful for the team at e.l.f. I can’t wait to show more of what we have coming in store.

courtesy: e.l.f. Cosmetics

What is it that you wanted to show about yourself? What is the message that you want people to take away?

Flau’jae Johnson: Don’t limit yourself. I feel like e.l.f. did a great job of telling that story. They did a great job of telling the story of who I am, where I come from, what makes me me, and why I don’t allow anybody to put me in a box. I don’t allow anybody to label me, and it allowed me to tell my story. I think that what you should take from it is motivation, like wow, I can really do anything. I think it was so beautiful how it was depicted. It was amazing.

courtesy: e.l.f. Cosmetics

Part of your partnership with e.l.f. is that they’re going to be donating $75,000 to your More to 4 Foundation. Can you tell us more about the purpose of your foundation?

Flau’jae Johnson: Yes. God is good. My foundation, More to 4, started off just me doing what I do, which is just giving back and trying to help the community. And now, it’s actually a real thing. It actually has a name to it. We’ve done so much in my community of Savannah, Georgia, but I also want to help all the communities that I’m in. We just left Baton Rouge, and we do so much in that that community. I literally just got the key to the city for that. So, that’s a thanks to the More to 4 Foundation and all that we do. But really just trying to help where I can. I think just being that filler, being that person, being that helping hand, that’s always what I wanted to do. Now I can do it on a major scale. Now I can really help people. And so, I’m just so thankful that e.l.f. kind of sees my vision in that way and how I want to help people. It’s going to be great.

What kind of communities are you trying to reach with your foundation?

Flau’jae Johnson: I’m trying to reach people who need that extra little bit of hope honestly because I feel like that’s what it is. I know a lot of things that solve problems can be monetary, but one thing that we have as humans is the ability to inspire, right? And I feel like inspiration does more than a dollar ever could because you can spend that dollar and then it’s gone. But the way you make somebody feel and the way you impact them can change their lives forever. That’s why I think it’s so dope that e.l.f. really wanted to, you know, put their money where their mouth was and really help me on this initiative and what I’m doing to try to help in my community. So, it’s gonna be dope. We have so much coming up. Even the things that we do annually, back to school drives, Christmas, Thanksgiving. I want to continue to just be a help in the community and it’s gonna be big. It’s just growing and growing and growing. The name of the foundation is the More to 4 Foundation because it means it’s just more to the number on my jersey. It’s about who I am as a person.

How does it feel to work with a partnership that truly believes in the same vision that you believe in?

Flau’jae Johnson: And that’s the important thing. Obviously, the money is significant, but it’s more so the intention behind it. It’s more so the selflessness and the giving, which it warms my heart. It’s like, wow, they really care about what I care about deeply. They’re willing to support and go above and beyond, you know, to help with something that I believe in. So, that just makes me want to go harder for e.l.f., not gonna lie. But also, it’s just about that teamwork, you know, and I believe in strength in numbers. I believe in team. And that’s why I’m so happy about this partnership. Like, this couldn’t have been any better.

Now that your time at LSU is over and you’ve had some time to reflect, are you at peace or pleased with what the legacy is that you’re leaving?

Flau’jae Johnson: Absolutely. Legacy is something that you can’t take away. Somebody told me one time, a journey is different than like a legacy, right? Like everybody goes on a journey through life, but to leave a legacy and to leave something behind that people will remember forever has just, I don’t think that it sunk in yet, but I’m thankful, you know, and I’m grateful just of the impact that I had. You know what I mean? And I can leave that school knowing that I gave everything that I had and knowing that I changed the culture of LSU and what it means to be an LSU athlete. And so, I’m thankful for the support. I’m thankful to Kim Mulkey, LSU, everybody as a whole that kind of really like helped me, you know, helped me become who I was because if it wasn’t for them, who would have let me rap and play basketball and NIL all at the same time? So, I had a lot of support and so, that really helped push me. And that legacy, it means a lot to me because I gave so much and just to see it all pay off was crazy.

What did it mean to you to receive the key to Baton Rouge?

Flau’jae Johnson: Yeah, facts. I have the key to the city and April 4. 4/4 is Big 4 Day. Like that is crazy. I have a key and a day in my hometown. Now, I have a key and a day in my other hometown, I would say now. They’ve adopted me. And it’s just dope to be able to go somewhere and like, that’s special. Just to be able to go somewhere and leave a print on people, on all people, you know, not just one group of people. You know, like everybody to where they want to recognize you. That’s amazing. Everywhere I go, I want to leave a mark. You know, every place I go, I want to leave it better than I found it. And so, I hope I did that in Baton Rouge. And I’m just thankful that they gave me the opportunity.

Why was it important for you to be able to do both [basketball and music]? You did not want to choose, and you didn’t have to. What was the importance of that?

Flau’jae Johnson: I mean, honestly, it’s kind of who I am now. But in that moment, I was just chasing my dreams, honestly. Like, it was a dream for me to be able to play basketball and for me to be able to make music at the highest level, which was college at that time. And it was like, wow, just dream chasing. But then, it became a thing of this is inspiring. Like, this is motivating. Like, you know, some people they don’t even have one dream, or they don’t chase one dream. She’s trying to chase two. So then, it became a thing of showing people like you can do whatever you put your mind to. And I think I just became a living vessel of that and of how good God is, you know, and how good like, if you have a good mindset, how things can happen for you. So, I just think it’s kind of evolved over the time, but it really just started off as a little girl just wanting to make a dream come true and everybody told her no, but she thought she could do it, so she did.

When you’re putting together a song, what’s that process like for you? How long does it usually take?

Flau’jae Johnson: Yeah, I like to freestyle a lot. So, a lot of it comes off the dome, but then I like to write a lot as well. This is what I feel like for real though. My process is gonna change just because now I’ll have a little bit more time to really engulf myself into the music world. I feel like during college, like it was so much going on at one time that I wasn’t really able to. But now I can really find my identity as an artist and that is the fun thing, especially with just growing with your music. Like, you get to grow, you get to learn new sounds, you get to know what you like, you get to know what you want to say, you get to talk about more stuff. So, I’m very excited as an artist to really be going into this new journey. Everything feels new to me. But I just like to create. I like to have fun. I like to have vibes. I like to be different and just be me. So, that’s all I do.

How would you describe your flow?

Flau’jae Johnson: Flawless. I would say it’s a flawless flow. It’s complex. It’s unique. All the things that I feel like I am. Braggadocious a little bit, but I feel like my flow is something like nobody can bite. Like they can try, but they can’t say it like me. Like, I could give somebody my lyrics and be like, “hey, go ahead rap.” And they just won’t deliver it right because they’re not Big 4. So, I think that’s kind of like, that’s why I go [with] flawless because only I can do it.

What’s a favorite song of yours?

Flau’jae Johnson: Oh, probably me and BossMan Dlow. Our song that we made, [Got It], and me and Lil Wayne. That’s a great song.

[Are] you talking about Came Out A Beast?

Flau’jae Johnson: Came Out A Beast. But I also like my song called Damaged. It’s actually one of my favorite ones. So, it’s those. Those [are] my top three.

Which song do you think you’re the most proud of?

Flau’jae Johnson: Probably the one with Lil Wayne just because like, who has a song with Lil Wayne? Not many people. I do. I’ll probably say that one. Like, that was major for me. Just, it was one of those things like, wow. Like, I really got a feature from one of the greatest rappers of all time, right? I haven’t even hit my prime yet in music. So, it just gave me so much hope for the future and what I can accomplish. I’m like, if this [is] the beginning, I’m wondering what the end look like, you know?

Outside of Wayne, is there anyone else who you really would love to work with?

So many people. I want to work with a lot of producers. I want to work with Pharrell [Williams]. I want to work with Adele. I want to work with Rod Wave. I want to work with a lot of different people. I want to make a lot of different music.

What is the process for putting your outfits together? Do you work with a stylist? Is it all you? How does that process come together?

You know, I would like to take all the credit for everything, but no, I have a great stylist. I met her in Baton Rouge, and she’s been styling me ever since for, you know, all of my looks when I’m on the ground, my day-to-day. Like, look at this. This is crazy. She showed me this and I was like, “wow, this is different.”

See, now that Vogue cover, that was a whole other story. I was like, who [is] wearing this? Not me. But then, it actually came together. Like, I was so nervous. That was the first time because you know Vogue, they have creative control. Like you really just better look tea. So, you know it was crazy. But I’ll wear anything. I’m liable to wear anything. Like, if it looks good, I feel like I could pull it off. I feel like I can wear anything and it’s gonna look fire. One day I could be in sweatsuits. One day I can be in a dress and heels, and I feel like I’m gonna rock it. But I don’t know. I’m trying to find my grown woman style now. Just like, I’m not a kid anymore. So, I got to lock in.

What kind of player [is Seattle] going to get?

You know, not even a human, a dawg. You know what I mean? I’m going in dawg status. Big dawg status. But they’re gonna get a competitor for sure. Somebody that’s gonna compete and somebody that’s gonna work. All I know is the work. Nothing can make up for the work. Not the Instagram followers, not the TikTok, not none of that. Like, you can’t buy the results from work, you know? And so, that’s what I’m focused on and I understand that and I realize that. This is another level, you know? This is a real women league. So, you know, I got to put my woman clothes on and be ready to play. But just know that they’re getting a dawg and somebody that wants to learn and wants to be great. And that’s all you can ask for and all I can ask for is somebody who’s gonna help and develop me.