Flau'jae Johnson's Storm Contract Details After Going No. 8 in 2026 WNBA Draft

For the second time in her basketball journey, LSU star Flau'jae Johnson is poised to benefit in a big way from a rapidly changing financial landscape in the sport.

Johnson parlayed her crossover success on the court and in the recording booth into significant NIL earnings. Now, she's part of the first WNBA rookie class to be covered under the new collective bargaining agreement.

As the No. 8 pick of the Golden State Valkyries who was then traded to the Seattle Storm, the dynamic guard stands to earn more than $300,000 as a rookie in 2026, per Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports:

Flau'jae Johnson Rookie Contract

• 2026: $309,622
• 2027: $322,007
• 2028: $354,208
• 2029: $400,255

Paige Bueckers, by contrast, made $78,831 as a rookie after the Dallas Wings picked her first overall last year. The 2025 Rookie of the Year will at least get a pay bump starting this season to reflect the jump in revenue the WNBA is receiving thanks to new media rights deals.

Johnson and her peers won't have to wait. Being a second-round pick means making more out of the gate ($270,000) than stars could earn on a supermax contract in 2025 ($249,244).

Johnson had a decorated four-year run at LSU. She was a national champion as a true freshman in 2022-23 and went on to earn two first-team All-SEC nods along with twice being a third-team All-American.

The 22-year-old averaged 14.6 points on 46.7 percent shooting across 141 appearances. The way in which she developed as a shooter is encouraging as well. She averaged 2.2 three-point makes per 40 minutes as a senior, according to Sports Reference, and knocked them down at a personal-best 39.3 percent clip.

Johnson's position in the draft reflect the general questions over her occasionally streaky scoring. She struggled in some of LSU's biggest games as a senior, closing her career by going 6-of-15 for 13 points in a loss to Duke.

The raw talent and potential are clearly there, though.