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And as for Johnson, that also means being the type of leader that the team needs. “I think this season is just like you always just got to kind of learn people…I just learned how to work with different people. You feel me? Everybody ain’t the same—everybody not gonna click the same immediately. Some stuff just takes time. This was really, for me, a growth year of learning everybody, my whole team. I never had to do that before because that was never my responsibility. But now, stepping more into the leadership role [means] you have to learn [about] your teammates. It’s been fun seeing everybody come out they shell.”
Good things take time, especially when it comes to establishing team culture and chemistry. According to Johnson and Williams, Morrow didn’t talk much for the first six months when she first arrived at LSU, but that’s because she was reading the room.
“The reason why I’m quiet is because I sit back and I observe people before I actually come and talk to them, because I have to know how to approach certain people,” Morrow clarifies.
First impressions are one thing, though, but it’s clear now that the Tigers are a unit. Just like the Bayou, this LSU squad is a melting pot of different experiences, cultures and individual approaches to the game, but when you put them all together, it’s magic.
“I think the crazy thing about LSU and Coach Mulkey is she lets you play your style of game, as long as you play it within our system,” says Williams. “It’s not like I came to LSU and had to completely change my game…We just got to put all our games together and make a huge impact.”
For the trio, their style of play has been molded by grassroots basketball and their hometowns. The sacrifices each of them has made to get to this moment goes beyond just practice and games. They show up every day not just for the name on the back of their jerseys, but for their cities.“When you plant roots somewhere, you don’t always realize the impact you have,” says Flau’jae, who had her jersey retired at the conclusion of her historic high school career and has since evolved into not just a champion but a businesswoman and musician.
Johnson firmly adds: “I want people to know that I was resilient enough to persevere. Nothing worth doing is easy, but if I can come to LSU and make it happen, I know I can go anywhere and succeed. That’s the legacy I want to leave.”
Morrow recently had her jersey retired, too, at the legendary Simeon High School, where she averaged 28.4 points, 14.3 rebounds, and 3 steals per game and led the program to their first state championship as a five-star recruit. “It’s just a testament to how hard Neese works and all the sacrifices—the blood, sweat, and tears she’s poured into this game,” Williams said.
Now Morrow is a powerhouse and future first-round pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. “Whoever get to play with Neese when she leaves here, [it] is going to be the biggest blessing of their life,” Williams adds. “Neese brings energy, leadership and when you playing with Neese, you don’t have no choice but to go hard, or she coming right at you and she gonna make you go hard.”
