Flau'jae Johnson put up 32 points in a Seattle Storm rookie showcase, the kind of number that makes front offices check draft position math and sponsor decks get updated with new headshot options.
The LSU product, who banked seven figures in college NIL deals before turning pro, led her team in scoring during what appears to be a late preseason or exhibition window. Paige Bueckers, the UConn guard who won't be draft-eligible until 2026, offered public praise after scoring her own team-high total in the same event. The mutual respect between two players who dominated college basketball's media cycle matters less than the timeline: Johnson is playing for a roster spot now, Bueckers is two years from it, and Seattle holds assets to maneuver in both cycles.
The Storm finished 16-24 last season, fourth in the Western Conference, and entered the offseason with the league's eighth-highest payroll at roughly $1.4 million in total cap commitments. Johnson's scoring burst in a showcase setting signals the team is testing whether her offensive volume—she averaged 20.5 points per game at LSU last season—can translate without the college three-point line and against defenders who spent a decade in professional systems. If it does, Seattle has a cost-controlled scorer on a rookie scale contract while Jewell Loyd, their franchise cornerstone at $241,984 this season, approaches unrestricted free agency in 2026. If it doesn't, the Storm have cover to prioritize a 2026 draft slot that could include Bueckers, assuming UConn's guard stays healthy and Seattle's record cooperates.
Bueckers' public endorsement of Johnson's performance carries quiet recruiting weight. The WNBA rookie scale pays $74,305 for a first overall pick, $64,154 for tenth overall. Johnson's NIL portfolio at LSU—rumored north of $1.5 million annually across deals with Puma, JBL, and Baton Rouge tourism—means she's playing for equity and exposure, not immediate cash. The Storm's ownership group, Force 10 Hoops, has sold minority stakes to local tech operators in the past 18 months, raising the franchise's enterprise value into the $65-75 million range by back-channel estimates. A marketable rookie who can score and carries her own social following—Johnson has 1.2 million Instagram followers—gives the team a second pole for sponsors who want reach beyond Loyd's existing Nike and BodyArmor commitments.
Seattle's front office, led by GM Talisa Rhea, has been methodical about roster construction since taking over in 2022. The Storm haven't made a first-round playoff exit since 2019, but they also haven't advanced past the second round since their 2020 championship. Johnson's 32-point line in a showcase doesn't guarantee rotation minutes, but it does give Rhea a data point on whether the team can carry two high-usage scorers without sacrificing the defensive identity that kept them competitive last season despite the losing record. If Johnson earns starter minutes, Seattle can field lineups with two players capable of 20-point nights, a luxury most WNBA teams lack without exceeding the $1.46 million salary cap.
Watch whether Johnson appears in Storm marketing materials ahead of their 2025 season opener, expected in mid-May. Sponsor activation windows typically close 90 days before tip-off, and brands sizing local partnerships will want to know if she's a featured asset or a depth piece. Bueckers' 2026 draft timeline runs parallel: if Seattle finishes bottom-three in 2025, they'd have lottery odds at the guard most college programs spent five years treating as a tentpole property. Johnson's performance this week suggests the Storm may not need to wait that long to solve their scoring depth, but Rhea's phone will stay warm either way.
The Storm open their 2025 regular season on May 16 against the Phoenix Mercury. Johnson's roster status will be confirmed by the league's April 14 deadline for final cuts.
The takeaway
Storm rookie Flau'jae Johnson's 32-point showcase gives Seattle a cost-controlled scoring option while Paige Bueckers remains two years from draft eligibility.
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