Fla’jae Johnson tipped to join Caitlin Clark after comments on new Indiana Fever coach

Flau’jae Johnson is breaking out in her third season with LSU, averaging 22.3 points for the undefeated Tigers. However, the junior admitted she almost originally joined Vanderbilt a few years ago because of their former coach Stephanie White.

White was recently named coach of Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever for the 2025 WNBA campaign, thus sparking rumors that Johnson could be interested in joining the rising franchise.

“The Indiana Fever having Stephanie White as a head coach, I really like that,” Johnson admitted on the ‘Best of Both Worlds’ podcast. “I love that. I feel like she’s a player’s coach.”

“I even remember when she was recruiting me at Vanderbilt, I was like ‘I like this lady. I want to go play for her.’ [But] she ended up leaving Vanderbilt.”

Kim Mulkey bangs table as mysterious Shayeann Day-Wilson absence explained

Nelly Korda gives honest verdict of Caitlin Clark’s golf ability after playing together

“But if she would have stayed, I probably would have had Vanderbilt in real consideration,” Johnson continued. White joined the Connecticut Sun in 2023 and swiftly earned her first WNBA Coach of the Year nomination

Last season, the Fever snapped an eight-year playoff drought thanks heavily in part to their star rookie Clark. The franchise is looking to reach the next level with White on board for the 2025 campaign.

White wasn’t the most successful during her five-year stint with Vanderbilt from 2016-2021, falling to lead the Commodores to a March Madness appearance even once.

Caitlin Clark and Flau’jae Johnson

Johnson guards Clark during the 2024 NCAA Basketball Tournament ( Image: Getty Images)

Before her stint in Tennessee, White led the Indiana Fever to the WNBA Finals in 2015 – she’ll look to repeat the trick in 2025. The Fever will have a chance to bolster their team with the eighth pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.

Johnson may find herself selected earlier in the draft if she continues her strong play. She can parlay her hot start with previous accolades – including her 2023 SEC Freshman of the Year Award and her 2023 NCAA Title – to impress WNBA teams.

Johnson was a role player for the Tigers in 2023 as star Angel Reese led the program to the NCAA Championship. Reese’s Sky enter the 2025 WNBA Draft lottery with a chance at the first pick.

While a pairing of Johnson and Reese might make sense, the pair have both admitted to not being as close as they were when teammates at LSU.

“I still support Flau’jae, Reese said on an early September episode of his ‘Unapologetically Angel’ podcast. “We aren’t as close as we used to be..”

“And there’s no hard feelings or anything, but we aren’t as close as we used to be. That’s why people always expect us to still be posting each other and stuff like that. But, like, we aren’t as close.”