Flau’jae Johnson Helped Off Court After Ankle Injury Scare in Game vs Portland Fire, Returns to Bench

Flau’jae Johnson’s rookie season took a worrying turn on August 8 as a collision with a Portland Fire player left her unable to walk off the court unassisted. In a game against the Fire, the Seattle Storm guard was injured and had to be helped to the locker room during their game, with the collision changing Seattle’s night.

The concerning moment occurred with about 5:14 left in the third quarter and the Fire leading 66-52. Portland guard Jordan Harrison bumped into Johnson as the rookie attempted to block off the lane, leading to both of them tumbling to the floor. Harrison seemed to be fine, but Flau’jae Johnson stayed on the floor, writhing in pain and grabbing at her left ankle.

“Flau’jae Johnson going down and grabbing at her ankle,” the announcer said in a clip shared by ESPNW on X. “The outstanding rookie. Oh, man. You hope it’s one that’s just a stinger. It turns, and you can walk it off. But right now, Flau’jae is in some serious pain. She will have to get some assistance.”

Her teammates immediately surrounded her, helping her to her feet before she was helped off the floor by team officials with a towel covering her face. The broadcast caught the entire sequence, and the announcer noticed her pain. Thankfully, the night ended on a positive note.

Within 20 minutes, Johnson returned to the bench and checked in during the fourth quarter, suggesting the injury was not serious. Unfortunately, her return was not enough to power the Storm, who lost yet another game, their first since being eliminated from the playoff race.

Johnson, who was the Golden State Valkyries‘ eighth overall pick in the 2026 WNBA draft before being traded to the Storm, didn’t have the most productive night either. She finished the game with eight points on 3-for-10 shooting, adding four rebounds and an assist.

The Louisiana State University alum, who played under veteran coach Kim Mulkey, has been a bright spot in an otherwise dire season for the Storm. The rookie, who shared the floor with Angel Reese in college, has made a clear case for the All-Rookie First Team. She currently averages 13.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists. Johnson has added a few records to her name already in her brief WNBA career so far, as the Seattle Storm PR team posted on X.

“Flau’jae Johnson just became the fastest guard in Storm history to 15 blocks and just the second rookie guard in WNBA history to reach 15 blocks in 10 games, joining Elena Delle Donne.”

She has also broken several franchise records, including being the fastest rookie guard to hit 100 rebounds and the most efficient 25-point game by a rookie guard, according to All Stan. But none of her achievements have been able to help the Storm grab a playoff berth.

Flau’jae Johnson Adds to Storm’s Concerns as Losing Streak Hits 11

The Seattle Storm’s nightmare stretch hit a new low against the Portland Fire, losing 93-100 and extending their streak to 11 straight losses while also dealing with the injury scare to Flau’jae Johnson.

Fire forward Bridget Carleton led the charge against the Storm with 24 points and four threes, and while Jade Melbourne responded with 23 points for Seattle, it wasn’t enough. The defeat has dropped Seattle to 6-28, making them the first team in WNBA history to have recorded two separate 11-game losing streaks in the same season.

For several parts of the game, Seattle looked capable of ending their skid against the expansion Fire, especially when it led 30-27 at the end of the first quarter. The Fire eventually responded with a run of their own, heading into the half up 56-47 after a 17-5 run.

The Fire eventually led by as much as 14, but Seattle trimmed the deficit to 75-72 early in the fourth. Unfortunately, their luck didn’t last, with Portland seeing Jordan Harrison and Carleton knock down consecutive threes to extend their lead to 88-78, all but sealing the game.

The focus for the Storm will now be on Johnson’s health, and the team’s staff is likely to monitor her status carefully before their game against the Chicago Sky on August 10.

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