LSU Women's Basketball Star Flau'Jae Johnson Named To Coveted Preseason Watch List

Originally posted on LSU Tigers on SI | By Zack Nagy | Last updated Oct 29, 2025 8:00 AM ET

BATON ROUGE, La. – LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson was named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Preseason Watchlist Tuesday by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as one of the Top 20 shooting guards across the country in women’s basketball.

The Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, in its ninth year, honors the top shooting guard in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball. It is named after the Class of 1993 Hall of Famer, the first player, regardless of gender, to be chosen for an All-America Team in four consecutive college seasons.

Across its first eight awardees, no LSU player has received the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award.

Johnson enters her fourth and final season in Baton Rouge as one of the top returning guards in the country. Johnson is coming off a strong junior campaign after being an integral part to the Tigers’ third-straight Elite Eight appearance.

Last season, she averaged 18.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Johnson closed the year strong against UCLA, putting up a career high 28 points.

The 2023 SEC Freshman of the Year, Johnson was a critical piece as a starter on LSU’s first National Championship team in Mulkey’s second season.

Not just a star on the court, Johnson has built her star-power as a rapper too. She released her most recent single “Courtside” featuring Waka Flocka Flame in August.

In the Tigers’ first exhibition contest against Mississippi College, Johnson accounted for eight points, three assists and five rebounds. LSU returns to action on Thursday, Oct. 30, to face Langston in the second of two exhibition games before the Tigers welcome Houston Christian to the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Nov. 4.

Fans are encouraged to participate in fan voting in each of the three rounds starting on Friday, October 31. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2026 Ann Meyers Drysdale Awards will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February, to just five.

In March, the five finalists will be presented to Meyers Drysdale and the Hall of Fame’s selection committees, where winners will be selected.

The Selection Committees for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award is composed of top women’s college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.

The winner of the 2026 Meyers Drysdale Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the other four members of the Men’s and Women’s Starting Five.

Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy and Nancy Lieberman Awards (Point Guard), Julius Erving and Cheryl Miller Awards (Small Forward), Karl Malone and Katrina McClain Awards (Power Forward), and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Lisa Leslie Awards (Center).

MiLaysia Fulwiley was named to the Nancy Lieberman Award Preseason Watchlist on Monday.

This article first appeared on LSU Tigers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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