Flau’jae Johnson has ignited rumors surrounding a potential move to the Indiana Fever after she publicly praised newly appointed head coach Stephanie White. Johnson has established herself as a rising star with the LSU Tigers, stirring anticipation about her eventual entry into the WNBA. With her draft eligibility set for 2025, conversations have emerged about her teaming up with 2024’s Rookie of the Year, Caitlin Clark, at the Fever.
During her **Best of Both Worlds** podcast, Johnson expressed admiration for White, saying, “Let me tell y’all, the Fever, the Indiana Fever having Stephanie White as a head coach—I really like that, like I love that. I feel like she is a players’ coach.” She reminisced about White’s attempt to recruit her to Vanderbilt during her transition from Sprayberry High School to college. Although Johnson ultimately chose LSU, she noted that White’s departure from Vanderbilt was a pivotal factor, as reported by the Irish Star.
Johnson admitted that if White had remained at Vanderbilt, she would have given serious thought to joining the program. She emphasized her preference for coaches she genuinely likes, remarking, “I try to go where I like the people, and she seemed like a good coach.” Johnson’s college career has been marked by impressive accomplishments, including an NCAA Championship victory with LSU, the SEC Freshman of the Year honor, and her selection as a 2022 McDonald’s All-American.
In her sophomore season (2023/24), Johnson showcased her talents with a free throw percentage of 76.9%, coupled with averages of 5.5 rebounds, 2.1 steals, two turnovers, one block, and 14.9 points per game, underscoring her promising trajectory. White, meanwhile, left Vanderbilt in 2021 and returned to the WNBA in 2023/24 to lead the Connecticut Sun to a strong 28-12 season, finishing second in the Eastern Conference.
White, who played for the Fever from 2000 to 2004, assumed her coaching role at the start of November, succeeding Christie Sides. While Sides had led the Fever to their first playoff appearance since 2016, they were ultimately eliminated by White’s Sun team. White stated upon her appointment, “I am incredibly proud and honored to return home to Indiana and lead the Fever… I look forward to working every day to help deliver another WNBA title to the greatest basketball fans in the world.” A future lineup featuring Johnson alongside Clark, who shattered numerous records in her rookie season, would be formidable for the Fever.
