Flau’jae Johnson and Duke coach Kara Lawson had a heated argument during LSU’s 93-77 win, but it wasn’t about basketball; it was personal. Lawson sat the All-American out during the summer USA Basketball tournament in favor of Hannah Hidalgo and Mikayla Blakes. Kim Mulkey says that the viral chirp in the fourth quarter came from months of hurt that had been hidden.

Johnson’s 18-point game, in which he made 7 of 11 shots, covered deep heartbreak. The game on Thursday was her chance to show the coach, who didn’t believe in her, that she could do it. Kim Mulkey didn’t hold back from saying directly how Lawson’s decisions as a coach have hurt Johnson’s confidence.

“I was happy for Flau’jae. She didn’t have a good experience at USA Basketball with Kara this summer. She’s had this date circled around the calendar, and you get nervous because you think she’s gonna try to come in here and do too much. Flau’jae lost a lot of confidence this summer. I was proud of how she handled herself.” Kim Mulkey stated.

During the FIBA tournament, Lawson put Flau’jae Johnson on the bench for Blake, Hidalgo, and Miles. This decision took away the All-American’s chance to show her skills on the international stage, where she usually gets a lot of respect. Johnson’s 18 points on 7 of 11 shooting against Duke showed that Mulkey’s worries were well-founded.

She played well under a lot of pressure, even though she had emotional scars from being snubbed in the summer. Johnson also added 5 rebounds and 4 assists while staying calm, showing that her game hadn’t been permanently derailed by the loss of confidence.

Johnson’s viral incident revealed a difficult reality regarding women’s basketball: international roster choices not only brought about a particular situation but also opened a wound that is still present in college basketball. However, Mulkey was a different case as she recognized the injury publicly and cured it—not through alibis but by coaxing Johnson to convert his agony into artistic expression. That is the distinction between being in charge of a person’s activities and being in charge of their emotions. Mulkey proved that at the top of the game, you have to be conscious of the impact of coaching decisions on your emotional state.

Kim Mulkey’s advice helped Flau’jae Johnson prove everyone wrong:

Mulkey’s speech sparked an uncontrollable passion. When Johnson hits a three-pointer in the last moments of the fourth quarter, she not only celebrates but also locks eyes with Lawson on the Duke bench, ensuring that the coach witnesses all of her self-assurance. This was the revenge that took time and a player who proved precisely what her critics could not see to be true.

Last summer’s gold medal tour planted the seeds of this rivalry. Lawson benched Johnson as the tournament heated up, limiting her to just six combined minutes in the critical semifinal and championship games. Johnson publicly responded online: “Last but not least, thank you, Kara Lawson can’t wait to compete on 12/6!” She’d marked the date months ahead.

“Had a blast in Cameron Indoor” with a winking emoji. Everyone got the message.