The LSU Tigers head coach, Kim Mulkey, didn’t shed a tear on the Senior Night, and that, in itself, said a lot. So when Flau’jae Johnson suddenly saw a very different side of her coach a few days later, even she couldn’t quite believe it.

Speaking to the media ahead of the Tigers’ tournament run, Johnson admitted she was genuinely caught off guard after seeing her coach get emotional while talking about her final home stretch in Baton Rouge.

“She had just went off on me in practice. So yeah, it was surprising,” Johnson said. “But Coach can be just funny, bro. But I really do love her. And I think it’s kind of starting to hit everybody like wow. She’s like me, like we’re focused on the next game ahead. We’re not thinking of the future. But when you kind of think about it, it’s like wow, four years ago when I came here, I was a baby. I trusted her, and she trusted me, and we have a beautiful relationship.

“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh. People are sending it to me. This is Coach Mulkey? This is not AI?’ No, she was very emotional. It was dope to see, though.”

As sincere as it seemed, Johnson’s response lacked the depth expected when discussing Mulkey’s emotional moment for her, especially when you consider what Mulkey actually said.

During a radio appearance, the LSU head coach couldn’t hold back while reflecting on Johnson’s final home stretch.

“If we’re fortunate enough to beat Jacksonville… get out here and watch Flau’jae,” Mulkey said with her voice breaking. “That will be her last game… and I get emotional because that kid just meant so much to our program.”

“We should sell it out… and I don’t want to hear anybody gripe about the cost of a ticket… that kid means so much to this university,” she added, urging fans to show up for Flau’jae Johnson’s potential farewell at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

But if you’re wondering where those emotions were on Senior Night, coach Mulkey had a pretty clear explanation.

In a recent press release by SI, Mulkey shared that she didn’t get emotional because with LSU projected to host early-round NCAA Tournament games, she knew Johnson would likely have at least one or two more appearances at home. So it wasn’t until recently, when that window started to close, that it truly hit her.

There’s no doubt that Johnson’s reaction was affectionate. However, her reaction clearly lacked the emotional weight that her coach did. Instead of reflecting on what the moment meant for her, or her impact on the LSU program, Johnson kept it casual and playful. While there’s nothing wrong with that, it creates a contrast between player and coach: one overcome with emotion, while the other perhaps not ready to confront it yet.

But why is Mulkey so emotional about Flau’jae Johnson in the first place? Because for her,  Johnson represents more than production on the court.

In the time of NIL, when every other athlete is chasing a better payout, Johnson has stayed committed to the LSU program for four years. Her impact across campus, and the rare balance she’s maintained as both an athlete and a public figure are reasons why this goodbye feels different.

The rise of Flau’jae Johnson from young talent to the face of LSU basketball

Johnson arrived as a freshman at LSU in 2022 and immediately made history. She started in all 36 games and won the SEC Freshman of the Year award as LSU captured a national championship. From there, her evolution was steady: a sophomore leap into all-conference honors, followed by a junior season where she averaged 18.6 points and consistently delivered in big moments.

Now, as a senior, she remains one of the program’s defining figures.

But her story has never been limited to basketball. From building a music career to earning recognition for her work in the community, Johnson has carved out a presence that extends far beyond the court, something Mulkey herself highlighted while explaining why this moment feels so emotional.

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And that’s what made Johnson’s reaction so genuine.

Because for her, Mulkey isn’t just the intense coach from practice. She’s someone who trusted her when she “was a baby.” Someone who helped shape a four-year journey that’s now nearing its end.

However, while emotions are at an all-time high, Flau’jae Johnson hasn’t let it shift her focus.

She’s averaging 13.8 points this season for an LSU team that leads the nation in scoring (94.5 ppg) and enters the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed.

The LSU Tigers will now turn their attention to a first-round matchup, where they face No. 15 Jacksonville at 5 p.m. Friday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. The winner of this game will advance to take on either No. 7 Texas Tech or No. 10 Villanova.

“(I’m) not really fighting it. Probably Sunday is when everything will come,” she said. “I’m having this mindset of, let’s beat Jacksonville. Let’s handle our business, and then let’s get to the next game. So I’m trying not to think about it too much. But yeah, I don’t think I’m going to be OK.”

For now, Flau’jae Johnson is playing like nothing’s changed. But somewhere between Friday and Sunday, the games may stay the same, only the feeling won’t.