• by Danielle Oster , March 20, 2025

Samsung has drafted rapper and LSU Tigers basketball player Flau'Jae Johnson for its Team Galaxy brand roster.

In an announcement video debuting March 22, Johnson explains “They tried to make me choose: hip-hop or hoops. I told them I do both, I control my own fate,” before announcing that she’s now Team Galaxy. The video will run across both Samsung and Johnson’s Instagram channels.

As part of the partnership, Johnson will use the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra smartphone and Samsung Tablet S10 to capture and create content, and wear the Galaxy Watch7 and Galaxy Ring to track and optimize athletic performance. The timing of the deal could result in the Watch7 and Ring appearing on the court in highly anticipated March Madness broadcasts.

The announcement arrives ahead of the LSU Tigers’ first March Madness matchup against San Diego State on March 24.

It also follows the brand’s partnership with new 3-on-3 women’s basketball league Unrivaled.

Back in 2023, Johnson was part of LSU’s starting lineup when the Tigers won the tournament, defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes 102-85 in the championship game.

“Samsung Galaxy has long believed in the unifying power of sport, supporting athletes and fans with its innovative technology for decades,” a brand representative told Marketing Daily, adding that the partnership with Unrivaled “marks a series of firsts for the brand and a shift to further connect with the people and properties that are driving change in sport and society.”

Johnson is the latest in a number of recent new additions to the brand’s athlete roster, including Unrivaled founders Napheesa Collier of the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx, the New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart, and Kate Martin of the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries.

"The brand is known for pushing boundaries, embracing excellence and inspiring creativity, which makes us the perfect fit as I work hard to embody all those qualities through both my basketball and music career,” Johnson said in a statement. “I can't wait for the world to watch our partnership grow."