“It’s just him, Shaq and Damian Lillard”: Flau'jae Johnson gets inspired to “get to work” after LiAngelo Ball’s success

LSU Tigers guard Flau'jae Johnson is coming off yet another 20-plus-point outing in her team's Monday 83-77 victory over the Vanderbilt Commodores. In 38 minutes played, she put up 25 markers, five rebounds, four assists and two stocks (steals plus blocks) as she continues to consistently stay at a high level of play throughout her junior season.

Along with the success she has been generating on the court, Johnson is a well-known hip-hop artist as well. Back in mid-November of last year, the third-year star released her "Best of Both Worlds: Deluxe" album. This was a follow-up to the standard edition released in June 2024, which features famous names such as Lil' Wayne and NLE Choppa.

But even with all of the wins coming her way recently, Johnson admitted that she is further inspired to work even harder after witnessing former NBA G-League player LiAngelo Ball's rise to stardom with his music.

The middle Ball brother's song, "Tweaker", entered the Billboard Hot-100 chart back on Jan. 14 and has motivated Johnson. She said as much in the latest episode of her "Best of Both Worlds" podcast:

"He just got a Billboard entry. I think it wasn't that low on the Hot 100. Gelo going up man. For rap athlete-artists on the Hot 100, it's just him, Shaq and Damian Liliard. So, I gotta get to work," she shared. (0:53)

Ball, who goes by the rapper name "G3 GELO," joins some big basketball names by entering the Billboard, following NBA legends Shaquille O'Neal and Damian Lillard. The four-time NBA champion peaked at No. 35 with "(I Know I Got) Skillz" back in 1993, while the current All-Star has had multiple albums reach the Top Album Sales chart.

For Flau'jae Johnson, who is currently in her third year playing for the LSU program, it looks like she is striving to follow suit with the 21-year-old focusing her time on both collegiate basketball and music production.

Flau'jae Johnson picks Lamelo Ball as a hooper over G3 GELO as an artist, cites music preference

Later on in the podcast, Flau'jae Johnson was asked if she preferred Charlotte Hornets star Lamelo Ball as a basketball player or LiAngelo Ball as a rap artist. The 5-foot-10 standout then went with the former as her pick, citing her preference for music as the reason:

"I gotta go Melo (as a hooper). Gelo cool but that ain't my type of music... So many people done be like, 'Hey, Flau', remix Tweaker.' I'm can't even do it, man," Johnson said. (1:45)

Flau'jae Johnson's own style of music can be seen from the music she has produced as of late. But her priorities remain the same, as she'll take the basketball court once again on Sunday, Jan. 19 against the Florida Gators in the hopes of nabbing LSU's 20th-straight victory of the 2024-2025 season.