Kia Brooks, the mother of LSU star Flau’Jae Johnson, took to Instagram Live to defend her daughter following LSU’s 79-72 loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday. The conversation around the court didn’t end with the final buzzer.
Kia Brooks acknowledged that LSU had not beaten South Carolina, but she framed the narrative differently. “We have never beat South Carolina, cool,” she said. “But what is going on today? Flau’Jae is beating South Carolina in real life. No disrespect to them girls, no disrespect to Dawn [Staley], [but] we beating them in real life.”
In her Instagram Live, Kia emphasized that Flau’Jae stood out as the best player on the court despite the loss. She expressed confidence that Flau’Jae will be drafted higher than any South Carolina player in the upcoming 2026 WNBA Draft. Kia also highlighted Flau’Jae’s popularity, citing jersey sales as evidence of her rising profile.
“The whole goal is to go to the WNBA and get you a bag, right? Get you a bag and provide for your family, right?” Brooks continued. “Flau’Jae has already done that. She’s already done that. Flau’Jae don’t even have to go to the league. She is set for life. Her momma set her up for life.”
Kia did not limit her comments to South Carolina. She referenced UConn, noting that the Huskies’ higher jersey sales in the 2024-25 season were due to winning the national championship, and not necessarily a reflection of individual player performance. “She is one of the top-selling jerseys, only reason UConn is in front of is because they won the championship last year with the jersey sales. Let’s keep it real. Go look at it. Do your math,” Kia said.
The LSU–South Carolina rivalry is one of the most intense in women’s college basketball, and Flau’Jae’s mother’s comments quickly drew attention from fans. Her defense of Flau’Jae Johnson adds another layer to the ongoing conversation about the rising LSU star and her projected place in the WNBA draft.
