Unrivaled NIL success: LSU star Flau'jae Johnson signs equity deal with women's basketball league.

• Flau'jae Johnson has agreed to a name, image, and likeness deal with the Unrivaled women's basketball league.
• She will receive an equity stake although she is not yet able to play in the league.
• Johnson is amongst the top earning women's college basketball players.

Flau'jae Johnson has a lot going on at the moment.

The 21-year-old star basketball player, rapper, student, and aspiring businesswoman has just signed a deal with the new women's 3-on-3 basketball league, Unrivaled.

An equity stake in the league has been granted to Johnson, although the terms of the deal have not been made public.

Johnson told CNBC that he desired to contribute to an initiative that is advancing women's sports.

Unrivaled, a new women's basketball league, is set to launch in January and provide female athletes with an alternative option to play during the WNBA offseason. The league aims to offer the highest average salary in women's pro sports history, as well as give players equity. In October, Unrivaled signed a broadcast deal with TNT Sports.

Johnson stated, "The money news was significant to me. These women are rightfully earning their pay."

Johnson, a junior at Louisiana State University, is prohibited from committing to play in the league until she turns professional due to NCAA rules. Similarly, Unrivaled signed a deal with University of Connecticut star Paige Bueckers in August.

Johnson, in addition to being a league owner, will collaborate with Unrivaled on content and the league will support her music throughout the season.

Star power

In just two years playing college basketball, Johnson has become marketing gold.

LSU won the 2023 national championship with her leadership, and she emerged as a top prospect for WNBA teams.

Not only is she marketable as an athlete, but also as a rapper. Johnson signed with Jay-Z's Roc Nation in 2021 and released a song with Lil Wayne in June.

She has more than 3.5 million followers on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.

Johnson has secured endorsements from various brands, including Nike, Adidas, Puma, Powerade, and The Athlete's Foot.

On Tuesday, she was included on the Forbes "30 Under 30" list, with an estimated net worth of $7 million.

She is ranked No.1 by On3 for having the highest NIL valuation among college women's basketball players.

Johnson stated that her mother manages her finances and she doesn't typically indulge in extravagant purchases, but she frequently spends a substantial amount of money at.

She joked about trying to secure the Chipotle deal to avoid spending all her money on bowls.

Johnson, despite her busy schedule with sports and extracurriculars, makes time to learn about business. She does this by meeting with CEOs, watching YouTube videos, and studying, currently reading "Investing 101" by Michele Cagan.

Johnson hasn't decided yet when she's going to enter the WNBA draft, but she isn't worried about her brand diminishing.

""College is a gateway to bigger opportunities, but it's not like my followers will disappear," she said."

Johnson identifies LeBron James as her role model when asked about her inspirations.

"He's the ultimate businessman," she said.

She added, "The way he takes advantage of business opportunities, his demeanor, and the many things he has accomplished, such as building a school, to help others."

To fit everything in with numerous balls in the air, Johnson emphasized the need for discipline, consistency, and time management.

"Watching Netflix at home isn't my thing. I prefer being productive," she stated.