Portland, Oregon - August 8th: Flaujae Johnson of Seattle Storm in action during the Womens National Basketball Association game between Portland Fire and Seattle Storm at Moda Center on August 8th, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxBRAxMEX Copyright: xDanteyxBuitureidax/xSPPx Sportspressphoto_SPR232569
Portland, Oregon - August 8th: Flaujae Johnson of Seattle Storm in action during the Womens National Basketball Association game between Portland Fire and Seattle Storm at Moda Center on August 8th, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxBRAxMEX Copyright: xDanteyxBuitureidax/xSPPx Sportspressphoto_SPR232569
Seattle Storm guard Flau'jae Johnson scored a career-high 29 points on Sunday, but she received more attention for a single defensive play involving the league's current MVP.
Johnson blocked a layup attempt by Las Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson at the basket in the second quarter and then immediately apologized for her reaction to the play.
August 29, 2026, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA: AJA WILSON 22 watching as they inbound the ball during the game against the Las Vegas Aces at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. Las Vegas USA - ZUMAo117 20260829_zsp_o117_003 Copyright: xMikaelxOnax
August 29, 2026, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA: AJA WILSON 22 watching as they inbound the ball during the game against the Las Vegas Aces at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. Las Vegas USA - ZUMAo117 20260829_zsp_o117_003 Copyright: xMikaelxOnax
"I saw who I blocked, and I was like, 'I'm so sorry. I would never disrespect the GOAT like that. I love A'ja Wilson… I would never disrespect her, but I was in the moment, and I was like, 'Oh my God. I blocked A'ja Wilson," Johnson said in her postgame press conference on Sunday.
That apology is commensurate with the reputation Wilson holds within the league. The four-time MVP scored 30 points off of 16 of 18 free throws on Sunday, giving her 49 30-point games for her career, second only to Diana Taurasi’s 54 in WNBA history.
But Johnson didn’t just say that she was sorry, explaining further what the block meant to her.
"I'm putting that on the wall or something like that. I'm framing that. That was like a moment in my career that I'll never forget," she added.
Johnson’s overall performance proved just how important this block was for her team. Johnson had scored 10 of 21 shots attempted in the field and 5 of 8 in three-point shots, besides having 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals in Seattle’s 98-77 defeat.
The block wasn't the sole indication of what Johnson thinks lies ahead for Seattle's young core.
Flau'jae Johnson Shares Bold Outlook On Storm Future
Johnson's comments following the game extended beyond just the Wilson situation, giving insight into how she sees herself working with her Storm teammate Dominique Malonga in the future.
"I think we're going to evolve into something great," said Johnson when asked about playing alongside Dominique Malonga against such players as Wilson and Young.
With Johnson using Wilson as an example of how dominant the young Seattle core can become, she considers her play almost unreal to watch.
"I'm no Jackie Young right now, but in a few years I feel like I could be one of the best players in the league alongside Dom," Johnson said, extending her outlook beyond Sunday's result.
: That confidence reflects what happened on the scoreboard on Sunday: Johnson and Malonga totaled 54 points, with both scoring over 20 in the same game for the first time.
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Written by
Utsav Gupta
Edited by
Utsav Gupta