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Flau'jae Johnson was drafted eighth overall by the Golden State Valkyries in the 2026 WNBA Draft, then traded to the Seattle Storm. Her younger brother, Aydin, gained attention for his heartfelt reaction and joined her during the post-selection interview.
Flau'jae Johnson of LSU celebrates after being selected with the 8th pick in the first round of the 2026 WNBA Draft.
Credit: Angelina Katsanis/Getty (2)
Flau'jae Johnson has an all-star team both on and off the court.
The 22-year-old guard from Louisiana State University had her family by her side when she was selected eighth overall by the Golden State Valkyries in the 2026 WNBA Draft â and then immediately traded to the Seattle Storm â on Monday, April 13.
The monumental moment quickly went viral when her younger brother, Aydin, jumped into her post-selection interview after the cameras caught his adorable reaction to his big sister's achievement.
Flau'jae Johnson of LSU and her younger brother at the 2026 WNBA Draft.
Credit: Angelina Katsanis/Getty
Johnson was being interviewed by ESPN's Holly Rowe, who asked her about shouting out her hometown in Savannah, Ga.
"Ah, man, I'm the first-ever WNBA Draft pick from Savannah, Georgia, so this means to much to me," the athlete said, prompting a roar from the crowd.
The cameras then pointed at Aydin, who wore a black suit that he had quickly topped off with a purple Valkyries hat after his big sister's selection. Beaming from ear to ear, he was seen clapping before then removing his cap to salute Johnson during her interview.
"Flex for me now, come on!" Rowe said to Johnson's little brother, as he made cute gestures from the crowd. "I really wanted to bring him up for the interview, but I didn't know if your mom would allow me," the reporter added.
Flau'jae Johnson (left) and Cathy Engelbert pose together at the 2026 WNBA Draft.
Credit: David Dow/NBAE via Getty
"Come on over! Come on over!" Rowe then said, inviting the younger Johnson to join the broadcast, with the basketball player excitedly encouraging Aydin to come forward from the audience.
Aydin stood up from his seat and briskly walked toward his sister as the crowd cheered.
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"We are definitely having a 'woah' moment," Rowe said alongside Johnson and Aydin. "Congratulations," she added.
Johnson, who also has a Hannah Montana-style double life as a rapper under the wing of Lil Wayne, has been open about having her family by her side as she chases her dreams. Ahead of the WNBA Draft, the recording artist spoke with PEOPLE about her mom uplifting her confidence since the beginning.
Flau'jae Johnson #4 of the Louisiana State Tigers in March 2026.
Credit: Harry How/Getty
"She told me everyday I was beautiful. That I was the most beautiful girl in the world," Johnson shared with PEOPLE exclusively. "So, I really started believing it, which was big for my confidence."
Johnson knows that having a mom who hypes her up and pushes her to chase her dreams is not something to take for granted.
"For the girls that can and do have that confidence, make sure you walk around with that, with that swag," Johnson said. "Because you're allowing somebody else to believe in themselves just by looking at you."
Looking ahead to making the transition from college to pro, she said: "I'm really excited to just go into this next chapter and this next part of my life."
Read the original article on People
Flau'jae Johnson was drafted eighth overall by the Golden State Valkyries.
Flau'jae Johnson was traded to the Seattle Storm after being drafted.
Aydin Johnson went viral for his emotional reaction to his sister Flau'jae's selection and later joined her for an interview.
Flau'jae Johnson was drafted into the WNBA on April 13, 2026.

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