“But I still support her 1000 percent,” Flau’jae Johnson said when she confirmed the rift between her and her once bestie Angel Reese. And she’s standing by that statement loud and clear. When we talk about the biggest names in women’s college basketball in the recent years, three instantly come to mind—Big 4, Caitlin Clark, and Angel Reese. While Johnson and Reese were practically inseparable, Clark was always the rival on the other side of the court. But now that both Caitlin Clark and Reese have turned pro, things have changed—both on and off the court.

For starters, the distance between the once-close LSU duo was hard to ignore, and Johnson didn’t shy away from confirming it. “Yeah, me and Angel, we aren’t as close as we used to be,” she told The Post. “I was proud of her, just being in the W[NBA] and breaking records.” And in case you were wondering if there was a different story from the other side, Reese also made it clear on her podcast Unapologetically Angel that there were no hard feelings. “I still support Flau’jae. We aren’t as close as we used to be and there’s no hard feelings or anything,” she said. “I wish her the best always and I’m always going to support her.”

While they might not be as tight as before, the Lady Tigers star guard’s strong take shows that she still has nothing but appreciation for her former teammate. ‘Complex’ ranked Angel Reese as the No. 2 ‘Most Influential Female Athlete Right Now’, and asked Johnson what she thought about Reese’s impact. As expected, she didn’t hold back.

“She’s one of the biggest, if not the biggest,” Big 4 said. According to her, negativity sometimes overshadows Reese’s influence, but that’s what makes it even bigger. “You have so much love and so much hate that makes you at the top of the list,” she pointed out. And obviously, she couldn’t ignore the massive deals Reese is landing, including a McDonald’s collab. “That’s crazy,” she added. “She’s doing something that’s never been done in the WNBA.”

Meanwhile, one thing that hasn’t changed is the nonstop comparisons between Reese and Caitlin Clark. And if anything, it’s only gotten more intense. Fans live for their rivalry, but Johnson is eyeing something bigger—breaking the tie. We know that LSU and Iowa have squared off twice in the last two seasons, and it’s been a back-and-forth battle. Johnson and the Tigers took the first win in the 2023 national championship. But in 2024, Clark and the Hawkeyes got their revenge, knocking LSU out in the Elite Eight.

The junior guard hasn’t forgotten about it. In fact, she’s keeping score. “I played Clark my freshman year and my sophomore year. I’m a junior, and so first year—freshman year — we got it. Second year, she got me. So me and Caitlin, we one and one right now. I got to wait until I get into the league to break that tie.”

And while she can’t wait to face her again, she didn’t hesitate to honour Caitlin Clark by calling her the toughest opponent she’s ever faced. “She’s the best passer I think I’ve ever played against, ever in my life,” Johnson admitted. “I really respect the game, and I respect her skill.” So, while the real tie-breaker will have to wait until both of them are in the pros, Flau’jae’s got a more immediate challenge ahead.

Flau’jae Johnson & Co. back in action for postseason

LSU is gearing up for March Madness, and the timing couldn’t be better for Johnson and Aneesah Morrow to make a full return. The Tigers landed a No. 3 seed in Spokane Region 1 and are set to take on No. 14 seed San Diego State in the first round. 

But Tigers Nation hasn’t had it easy leading up to this. LSU fell short in the conference tournament semifinals, and a big reason was injuries. Both Johnson and Aneesah Morrow, two crucial pieces of the team, were sideline — Johnson with shin splints and Morrow with a sprained foot.

Now, Tiger Nation can breathe easy because it looks like things are finally turning around for the better. Just last Thursday, Big 4 hit Instagram with a promising update. After being sidelined since March 2nd, this was the first real sign of a comeback.

And now, it’s official — LSU’s head coach Kim Mulkey confirmed on ESPN’s Off The Bench podcast that both stars are back at practice and good to go for the tournament. There’s just one catch, though. Mulkey doesn’t want them overdoing it. “Both of them had shin and foot injuries, so you can’t just up and down the floor with that,” she said, emphasizing the importance of easing back into action. She’s been careful with their recovery.

For now, the good news is they will hit the court. With the team at full strength again, LSU is looking like a competitor. The Tigers have been through their fair share of ups and downs this season, but if Johnson and the double-double queen are back at 100 percent, you better believe they’re coming for it all.