Johnson was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia.[1] Her father, the rapper Camoflauge, was shot and killed in May 2003 about six months before her birth in a case that remains unsolved.[2] Johnson grew up playing baseball as a pitcher and was the only girl on her team.[3]
Johnson entered her freshman season as LSU's starting shooting guard.[7] On November 20, 2022, she recorded a season-high 27 points, 10 rebounds, six steals and five assists in a 100–45 win over Northwestern State.[8] As a freshman, Johnson averaged 11 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, helping her team win its first national championship.[9] She was named the 2022–23 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Freshman of the Year.[10]
Sophomore season
In her sophomore season, Johnson played in 36 games and started 34 of them. Due to illness, she missed one game and played off the bench in another two in November.[11] Johnson improved her averages in every statistical category except for rebounds, and was a key player for the Tigers throughout the season.[12] LSU finished the SEC regular season with a 13–3 record, and Johnson was named in Second Team All-SEC.[13] In the SEC Tournament, Johnson led the team in scoring in both the quarterfinals and semifinals, scoring 25 points against Auburn and then 21 points against Ole Miss.[14][15] In the finals against South Carolina, Johnson was involved in a tussle that resulted in the ejection of six players (Johnson was not among those ejected) and the arrest of her brother.[16] After the game, Johnson apologized to Gamecocks' coach Dawn Staley for her role in the fight.[17] LSU entered the NCAA Tournament as the third seed. Johnson was the top scorer for LSU in their second-round win, 83–56, over Middle Tennessee.[18][19] In the Sweet Sixteen win, 78–69, over the second-seeded UCLA, Johnson recorded 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks and was once again the top scorer for the Tigers and an overall key contributor.[20][21] In an Elite Eight rematch of the 2023 championship game against the first-seeded Iowa, Johnson was again the top scorer for the team with 23 points, but LSU lost 87–94.[22]
