College basketball is keeping one of its stars.
Flau’Jae Johnson will not declare for the 2025 WNBA Draft per multiple reports and will remain with the LSU Tigers.
Johnson is one of the biggest rising stars in women’s basketball but could have skipped her last year of college to declare for this year’s draft because she turns 22 during the 2025 calendar year.
The deadline to declare was March 31 but players who advanced to the Elite Eight were given an additional 48 hours.
Since LSU’s season ended in the Elite Eight against UCLA, Johnson had to declare by Tuesday at midnight and it has now been reported that she will not put her name forward to be called in April.
Johnson, who is a first-team all SEC and third team All-American this season would have been a lottery pick had she entered the WNBA.
Critically however, by delaying her entry into the WNBA for another year she will be joining a league with significantly higher salaries.
This is because for the 2026 season, the WNBA will have a new collective bargaining agreement with the Women’s Basketball Player Association to reflect the new $200 million TV deal that kicks in for that year.
Players will get a higher share of the revenue generated by the WNBA and in turn their pay packages will increase.
The current value of a rookie contract annually for a lottery pick is $87,500 and many expect this to possibly triple in value once a new CBA is agreed.
Therefore Johnson, once she enters the league in 2026, will be one of the first beneficiaries of these higher salaries.
Johnson isn’t the only star who has postponed their WNBA debut.
Olivia Miles, who plays for Notre Dame, sent shockwaves around women’s basketball when she elected to extend her college career and enter the transfer portal instead of declaring for the draft.
Miles was projected to be the second pick and fall no lower than third but instead she will remain in the top division of college basketball.
Ultimately, for Johnson and Miles by staying in college the pair will be able to maximise another year of her NIL.
Johnson’s NIL is currently valued at $1.5 million and this may rise as she will return to the Tigers next season as the undisputed alpha.
LSU is losing a number of their stars ahead of next season.
Aneesha Morrow is heading to the WNBA while junior center Sa’Myah Smith is in the transfer portal and starting point guard Shayeann Day-Wilson is graduating.
Next season will also be another shot for Johnson to bring home another NCAA title after winning one in 2023, she has previously expressed a desire to win a title as one of the leaders.
“Not to take away my national championship, but still, I want to do something where I’m one of the leaders on the team,” Johnson said.
Johnson will have every shot at doing as the Tigers will likely improve their roster as result of some of the exits.
Head coach Kim Mulkey has historically been very successful in the portal, bringing in Angel Reese and Morrow in recent seasons
LSU also have the top-ranked recruiting class in the country, led by forward Grace Knox.
The WNBA will have to wait another year for stars like Johnson and Miles but it only means 2026 is guaranteed to be another blockbuster year in women’s basketball.
