Valkyries Trade No. 8 Pick Flau'jae Johnson to Storm

Surprising draft-night deal sends top prospect to Seattle in exchange for second-round pick and player rights.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 8:12am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting fragmented basketball players and court elements in a dynamic, multi-angled composition, conveying the energy and shifting dynamics of a major WNBA trade.A draft-night trade reshapes the WNBA landscape as a top prospect finds a new home in Seattle.Seattle Today

In a stunning draft-night trade, the Golden State Valkyries traded the rights to Flau'jae Johnson, the No. 8 overall pick, to the Seattle Storm less than an hour after selecting her. In exchange, the Valkyries acquired the draft rights to Marta Suarez, whom Seattle had selected with the first pick of the second round, as well as a 2028 second-round pick.

Why it matters

Johnson was one of the biggest names in women's basketball after helping LSU win its first national championship as a freshman. The trade caught many WNBA fans by surprise and raises questions about the Valkyries' plans and the Storm's desire to add an impact player to pair with their other young stars.

The details

The Valkyries declined to provide specifics on why they traded Johnson so quickly after selecting her, with GM Ohemaa Nyanin saying she wanted to be "very thoughtful" in discussing "other humans and their basketball abilities." Suarez, a 6-foot-3 post, averaged 17.1 points and 7.4 rebounds at TCU this past season.

  • The trade occurred less than an hour after the Valkyries selected Johnson with the No. 8 overall pick on draft night.

The players

Flau'jae Johnson

A former LSU standout and 2023 national champion who was selected No. 8 overall by the Valkyries before being traded to the Storm.

Marta Suarez

A 6-foot-3 post player whom the Storm selected with the first pick of the second round and traded to the Valkyries as part of the deal for Johnson.

Ohemaa Nyanin

The general manager of the Golden State Valkyries, who declined to provide specifics on why the team traded Johnson.

Talisa Rhea

The general manager of the Seattle Storm, who said the team was excited to add Johnson and that she will be an important piece for them going forward.

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What they’re saying

“The opportunity to add Flau'jae was really exciting and incredible for us. We didn't think that she would be available at that point. We had been in conversations, and so as we got closer to that pick, once it became a reality, just really excited.”

— Talisa Rhea, Seattle Storm general manager

“I'm going to take a beat to be able to eloquently give a response. I don't have a lot of detail to share. One, because I'm exhausted. Two, because I want to be very thoughtful when I'm talking about other humans and their basketball abilities and how they would or would not show up for our squad.”

— Ohemaa Nyanin, Golden State Valkyries general manager

What’s next

The Storm will look to integrate Johnson into their young core, which includes other recent high draft picks like Awa Fam Thiam and Dominique Malonga. The Valkyries will aim to explain their reasoning for the trade in the coming days.

The takeaway

This draft-night trade caught many WNBA fans by surprise, as Johnson was considered one of the top prospects in the class. The deal raises questions about the Valkyries' plans and the Storm's desire to add an impact player to their roster, potentially signaling a shift in the league's power dynamics.