LSU women’s basketball standout Flau’jae Johnson recently came to the defense of her former teammate Hailey Van Lith during an appearance on “The Baller Alert Show” podcast.
When hosts Byron Turner and Sean Ferrari Simmons criticized Van Lith for her performance in LSU’s Elite Eight loss to Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes earlier this month, Johnson quickly interjected. “No, no, we can’t do that,” she said, defending Van Lith’s effort in guarding Clark, who is known for her exceptional scoring ability. “You could not guard that girl for 40 minutes. But she stepped up for the challenge at the end of the day. I had to follow the scouting report,” Johnson added.
The conversation took a lighter turn when Turner inquired about the specifics of the scouting report, prompting Johnson to playfully end the interview, saying, “Interview over! I’m out of here!”
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Johnson, also known as the “Big 4” rapper, further supported Van Lith, who faced the tough task of defending Clark during most of LSU’s 94-87 defeat. “Listen, I had to follow the counting report,” Johnson explained, who contributed 23 points, six rebounds, and two assists in the game. She recounted discussing the game plan with her coach, emphasizing her role as a supportive teammate.
Van Lith, in her final game for LSU, scored nine points. Despite her efforts, she struggled defensively against Clark, who tallied 41 points. The decision by LSU head coach Kim Mulkey to keep Van Lith on Clark throughout the game was met with criticism and confusion from many, including the podcast hosts who commented on the mismatch.
Van Lith recently announced her transfer to TCU, expressing her excitement with a social media post that included a frog emoji, symbolizing her new team, the TCU Horned Frogs. Prior to LSU, Van Lith had a notable stint at Louisville, where she was recognized as an elite scorer.
As for Clark, she continued her stellar career by being selected as the No. 1 overall pick by the Fever in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
The full interview with Johnson is set to premiere Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET on Baller Alert.
