The groundbreaking Unrivaled basketball league isn’t just helping women in the WNBA. College basketball stars are getting a piece of the action as well.
LSU star Flau’Jae Johnson, who is one of the most recognizable women’s basketball players in college right now, is joining Unrivaled with an NIL partnership. She joins UConn Huskies star Paige Bueckers as the league’s first NIL athletes.
The player-owned 3-on-3 league, which was co-founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, is truly investing in women’s basketball players, with participating players getting equity opportunities as well as the highest average salaries in professional women’s sports history for a vested interest in the league’s success.
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Flau’jae Johnson, #4 of the LSU Tigers, before a game against the Northwestern State Demons at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on November 9, 2024, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Kristen Young/LSU/Getty Images)
Johnson, though still playing for the Tigers and not yet allowed to enter the WNBA, will also be getting equity in the league as she collaborates with Unrivaled to develop content throughout its inaugural season, which tips off in January 2025.
“I think the equity is the most important part, just being able to be invested in something like that,” Johnson told Fox News Digital. “And for me, being able to leverage my brand and to create business opportunities. That’s really what this NIL space is all about. When you’re in NIL, you literally have this short window where everybody wants to have you a part [of something], so to really leverage that into something that’s going to last for a long time. It’s going to be in my business portfolio and gain capital in the future, that’s a really big deal.”
As a member of Forbes 30 Under 30 for 2025, Johnson knows a thing or two about the right NIL opportunities as she is the No. 1-ranked women’s basketball earner and No. 33 overall, according to On3, with $1.5 million in valuation.
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But what sets Johnson apart from the rest is her surging rap career, as she’s signed under Jay-Z’s Roc Nation record label and has collaborated with industry superstars like Lil Wayne.
Johnson’s flourishing social media platforms, which includes two million on Instagram and 1.6 million on TikTok, makes her a true crossover star and someone Unrivaled wants, considering her unique skill set.
Johnson, though, has already been promoting Unrivaled due to her connection with Stewart.
LSU Lady Tigers guard Flau’jae Johnson (4) dribbles against the Northwestern State Lady Demons during the first half at Pete Maravich Assembly Center. (Stephen Lew-Imagn Images)
“When they came to be about it, I was like, ‘Me and Stewie already have a relationship, because we’re both PUMA athletes,’” Johnson said. “So, it was kind of a no-brainer. But when I really seen all the marketing that was behind it, like all the players, the amount they were paying the players, it just felt very big. It felt like it was something really serious.
“Even before I’ve signed anything, I was already kind of promoting it. When we were on the PUMA tour, I was making sure people knew what was going on. We definitely talked about it.”
The league appealed to many of the WNBA’s stars, including Johnson’s former LSU teammate Angel Reese, who is ready to make an impact here after a successful rookie campaign.
Other than the vested interest for the players, being able to stay home instead of going overseas in the offseason to continue making money playing basketball is something Johnson finds so important as she looks ahead to her own professional career.
Flau’jae Johnson, #4 of the LSU Tigers, in action against the Tulane Green Wave on November 20, 2024, at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Reagan Cotten/LSU/University Images via Getty Images)
“Leagues like this, women don’t have to go overseas anymore,” she said. “Now, they could stay home, be playing in Miami where the sky is beautiful and collect a check. I think it’s so important what they’re doing – they’re really changing the game. Being somebody that’s going to be in the WNBA soon, having another option, this is big.
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“This is big for the women, the girls coming up in high school, the girls coming up in college, it’s just big for women’s sports in general.”
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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
