“My GOAT”: Candace Parker tells Flau'jae Johnson how Cheryl Miller impacted her career

WNBA legend Candace Parker joined LSU guard Flau'jae Johnson on Thursday's episode of the "Best of Both Worlds" podcast. They discussed their on-court experiences and influential figures in the game. At one point, Johnson asked Parker which players paved the way for her in the WNBA.

"Cheryl Miller to me was, you know, she's my GOAT," Parker said. "My dad used to show me clips of Cheryl Miller and there weren't very many clips because there wasn't a league for her to play in. And she messed up her knee early.

"But in terms of somebody that was 6-foot-2 at that time that played and moved differently and had this athleticism but skill set to be able to go against any defense, I mean watching her play was just like there's a smoothness about her." [9:31]

Parker retired from the WNBA before the start of the 2024 season. She spent 16 years in the league and is considered one of the most influential players of this generation.

Before her professional career, Parker spent four years in Tennessee and led the Volunteers to two consecutive NCAA championships in 2007 and 2008. She had multiple accolades before moving to the WNBA as the No. 1 pick.

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Flau'jae Johnson credits LSU coach Kim Mulkey for her mental fortitude

Flau'jae Johnson will be playing her third season at LSU this year. She was a part of the championship-winning squad in 2023 and came short of defending it last season after the Elite Eight exit.

Over the years, Johnson's game has seen immense changes, and she is all set to lead the Tigers in the 2024-25 season. The guard credits coach Kim Mulkey's unique coaching style for the improvement.

While in conversations with Candace Parker on her podcast, Johnson said:

"Just the thing about coach [Mulkey], it's that mental battle of expecting every day you gonna come in and give a 110%. Playing under coach Mulkey, my mental has gotten so strong.

"She's going to say the most off-the-wall stuff ever, so anything that happens on the court doesn't even really matter for real. ... I'm so much mentally stronger than I was — being able to be poised, being able to make mistakes and recover and still be efficient." [20:34]

Without the assistance of Angel Reese, Johnson must take up the responsibility of leading the Tigers to a championship again.