Flau’jae Johnson’s little brother steals show at 2026 WNBA Draft

The Golden State Valkyries took Flau’jae Johnson with the No. 8 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft before shipping her to the Seattle Storm.

The transaction itself wasn’t shocking, but what happened during Johnson’s interview with Holly Rowe turned into something the crowd wasn’t ready for.

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Johnson gestured toward her family sitting in the audience. The cameras found her younger brother sitting there, clearly thrilled. He took off his hat and waved, a sweet acknowledgment that felt genuine in the moment.

The Bay Area crowd responded immediately. Rowe then invited him up on stage, and the disbelief was written all over his face. He even gave a shy salute, like he couldn’t quite process what was happening.

As he walked toward the stairs, his movements were a little uncertain but full of energy. The crowd leaned into it, turning what could’ve been a simple family exchange into something that felt bigger.

Surely, it was one of those draft moments that stuck.

LSU star Flau’jae Johnson joins Seattle Storm in trade

Seattle landed Johnson in a swap that sent the draft rights to Marta Suarez and the No. 16 pick back to Golden State, along with a 2028 second-rounder.

Flau'jae Johnson

The Storm went 23-21 last season and bowed out in the first round of the playoffs. Johnson figures to bring some of the punch they were missing.

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She wrapped up four years at Louisiana State University, where she started 139 of 141 games under Kim Mulkey. Mulkey showed up to the draft but kept things low-key, letting her former player own the spotlight.

Johnson earned All-American honors twice and was part of the 2022-23 championship squad that rolled to a 34-2 record during her freshman season. She could’ve left for the pros last year but decided to stick around for another run.