Zakiyah Johnson is an American college basketball player for the LSU Tigers women’s basketball team. The versatile guard made an early impact at LSU after building one of the strongest high school careers in Kentucky basketball history. Her scoring ability, rebounding, strength, and willingness to play several roles have helped her become an important part of LSU’s lineup.
The story of Zakiyah Johnson includes four state championships, four Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year awards, a USA Basketball gold medal, and SEC freshman recognition. She also produced efficient numbers during her first college season.
Zakiyah Johnson Quick Facts
| Fact | Details |
| Full name | ZaKiyah Johnson |
| Known as | Z |
| Sport | Women’s basketball |
| Current team | LSU Tigers |
| Position | Guard; also used in the frontcourt |
| Jersey number | No. 11 |
| Listed height | 6 feet |
| Hometown | Shelbyville, Kentucky |
| High school | Sacred Heart Academy |
| College debut season | 2025–26 |
| Major college honor | 2026 SEC All-Freshman Team |
| International experience | USA Basketball |
| USA Basketball position | Guard/forward |
| Age listed by USA Basketball | 19 as of May 5, 2026 |
LSU lists Zakiyah Johnson as a 6-foot guard from Shelbyville, Kentucky. USA Basketball describes her as a guard and forward, which reflects the range of roles she can handle.
Who Is Zakiyah Johnson?
Zakiyah Johnson is a college basketball guard who plays for LSU under head coach Kim Mulkey. She arrived at LSU as part of the program’s top-ranked recruiting class and quickly earned regular playing time.
Although LSU recruited Zakiyah Johnson as a perimeter player, the coaching staff often used her closer to the basket during her freshman season. That role asked her to defend bigger players, rebound in traffic, finish around the rim, and support LSU’s transition attack.
That flexibility became one of the main reasons Zakiyah Johnson stayed on the floor. She could contribute without needing every possession designed for her.
Featured Answer
Zakiyah Johnson is a 6-foot LSU basketball guard who earned SEC All-Freshman honors after averaging 9.7 points and 5.6 rebounds in 2025–26.
Zakiyah Johnson at LSU
The first college season for Zakiyah Johnson showed that her high school production could translate to SEC basketball.
She appeared in all 34 games and started 23. Those 23 starts were the most among LSU’s freshmen. She also played more minutes than any other member of the Tigers’ highly rated freshman class.
During the 2025–26 season, Zakiyah Johnson averaged:
| Statistical category | Freshman average or total |
| Games played | 34 |
| Games started | 23 |
| Points per game | 9.7 |
| Rebounds per game | 5.6 |
| Assists per game | 1.0 |
| Total points | 330 |
| Total rebounds | 189 |
| Total assists | 34 |
| Steals | 28 |
| Blocks | 17 |
These numbers made Zakiyah Johnson LSU’s highest-scoring freshman and the fifth-leading scorer on the full team. She scored in double figures 18 times and recorded three double-doubles.
Why Her Freshman Season Mattered
A young player can score points without having a major role. That was not the full story with Zakiyah Johnson.
LSU trusted her to start games, guard different positions, rebound, and play within a fast offense. Her 642 minutes were the most among LSU’s top-ranked recruiting class.
The role of Zakiyah Johnson also changed based on matchups. She spent much of the year playing inside despite arriving as a guard. Her ability to adjust helped LSU keep an effective lineup on the court.
LSU’s offense averaged 95 points per game and set a conference record for scoring offense. The Tigers also recorded 16 games with at least 100 points, an NCAA Division I single-season record. Zakiyah Johnson contributed as a finisher, rebounder, and transition option within that attack.
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Zakiyah Johnson Awards at LSU
The freshman campaign brought immediate recognition.
Zakiyah Johnson was named to the 2026 SEC All-Freshman Team. She became the ninth LSU freshman to receive that honor from the conference.
She also earned a place on the 2025 Paradise Jam All-Tournament Team. Across the tournament, Zakiyah Johnson recorded 31 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one blocked shot.
| LSU honor | Season |
| SEC All-Freshman Team | 2025–26 |
| Paradise Jam All-Tournament Team | 2025 |
| LSU’s leading freshman scorer | 2025–26 |
| Most starts among LSU freshmen | 2025–26 |
| Most minutes among LSU’s freshman class | 2025–26 |
These honors showed that Zakiyah Johnson was more than a future prospect. She was already producing in an important role.
Zakiyah Johnson High School Career
Before joining LSU, Zakiyah Johnson attended Sacred Heart Academy in Louisville, Kentucky.
Her high school record included four KHSAA state championships in four seasons. She also won four Gatorade Kentucky Girls Basketball Player of the Year awards and four straight MaxPreps Kentucky Player of the Year honors.
Career Numbers at Sacred Heart Academy
Zakiyah Johnson completed her high school career with 3,870 points. Across 149 games, she averaged:
| Category | High school average |
| Points | 20.1 per game |
| Rebounds | 7.7 per game |
| Assists | 3.7 per game |
| Career points | 3,870 |
| Games played | 149 |
She also became the only player in Sacred Heart Academy history to reach at least 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 500 assists.
Those totals show that Zakiyah Johnson was not only a scorer. She created shots for teammates and consistently helped on the boards.
Sacred Heart Scoring Record
On December 17, 2024, Zakiyah Johnson broke Sacred Heart Academy’s career scoring record. She passed former school standout Crystal Kelly when she moved beyond 2,381 points for the program.
Later, Zakiyah Johnson completed her prep career with 3,870 points. LSU’s official profile notes that she ranked sixth on MaxPreps’ list of leading national scorers who played during the 2024–25 season.
Four-Time Gatorade Player of the Year
One of the clearest signs of consistency was the Gatorade award record of Zakiyah Johnson.
She became the first Kentucky girls’ basketball player to win the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year award in all four years of high school. LSU lists four such honors in her official biography.
During her junior season, the Gatorade program reported that Zakiyah Johnson averaged 18.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.1 steals through 33 games. She helped Sacred Heart reach the regional championship game after a 26–7 start.
The award also considered classroom and community work. At the time, Zakiyah Johnson held a reported 3.34 grade-point average and had volunteered with community organizations.
Zakiyah Johnson Recruiting Profile
College programs viewed Zakiyah Johnson as one of the leading players in the 2025 class.
Recruiting services did not all place her in the same position, but each viewed her as a high-level national prospect.
| Recruiting outlet | Reported national ranking |
| ESPN | No. 13 |
| On3 | No. 4 |
| Prospects Nation | No. 4 |
| 247Sports | No. 12 |
| Collegiate Girls Basketball Report | No. 8 |
LSU’s official biography lists those rankings and identifies Zakiyah Johnson as part of the Tigers’ No. 1 recruiting class.
She selected LSU because of the program’s coaching, competitive level, and championship goals. Her ability to score and defend several positions made her a strong fit for Kim Mulkey’s rotation.
How Does Zakiyah Johnson Play?
The game of Zakiyah Johnson is based on strength, movement, balance, and positional flexibility.
1. Finishing Near the Basket
Zakiyah Johnson can attack open space and finish through contact. Her freshman field-goal production reflected the number of efficient opportunities she created around the rim.
2. Rebounding
Her 5.6 rebounds per game were important for an LSU roster that often asked Zakiyah Johnson to defend frontcourt players. She recorded three games with at least 10 rebounds and produced a double-double in each one.
3. Defensive Flexibility
Because of her size and strength, Zakiyah Johnson can switch between guard and forward assignments. She collected 28 steals and blocked 17 shots as a freshman.
4. Transition Play
LSU wants to run after turnovers and defensive rebounds. Zakiyah Johnson fits that approach because she can rebound, move quickly into open space, and complete plays before the defense becomes organized.
5. Off-Ball Impact
Not every contribution appears in a scoring total. Zakiyah Johnson can cut toward the basket, screen, occupy defenders, and create space for LSU’s primary ball handlers.
Zakiyah Johnson Career-High Performances
LSU’s official records list several early career highs for Zakiyah Johnson.
| Category | Career high through 2025–26 |
| Points | 19 vs. Marist |
| Rebounds | 14 vs. Missouri |
| Assists | 3 on four occasions |
| Steals | 4 vs. Southeastern Louisiana |
| Blocks | 2 on three occasions |
| Field goals made | 8 on three occasions |
| Free throws made | 6 vs. Auburn |
Her 19-point game against Marist came on November 28, 2025. Her 14 rebounds against Missouri on February 22, 2026 showed how much Zakiyah Johnson could influence a game without relying only on scoring.
USA Basketball Experience
The career of Zakiyah Johnson also includes international experience.
She won a gold medal with the United States at the FIBA U18 Women’s AmeriCup. USA Basketball lists Zakiyah Johnson as a 6-foot guard and forward from Shelbyville.
International competition can help young players adjust to different systems and styles. For Zakiyah Johnson, it added another major experience before her first LSU season.
Zakiyah Johnson Across Online Platforms
The term “Zakiyah Johnson” can produce different types of results across sports and social platforms. This table explains what readers can expect.
| Platform | What “Zakiyah Johnson” usually shows | Example use |
| LSU Athletics | Official biography, roster details, honors and statistics | Checking verified college information |
| ESPN | Player statistics, game logs and recruiting information | Comparing season performance |
| USA Basketball | National-team profile and listed position | Confirming international experience |
| Personal posts, training content and basketball updates | Following player activity | |
| X | Team news, awards and basketball-related updates | Finding short career announcements |
| Recruiting sites | Rankings, evaluations and player history | Reviewing her status as a recruit |
This platform breakdown helps readers separate official statistics from social updates and third-party recruiting evaluations.
Official and Relevant Social Media Links
| Platform | Account or page | Valid link |
| ZaKiyah “Z” Johnson | instagram.com/zakiyahmonae_ | |
| X | ZaKiyah Johnson | x.com/ZJohnson_06 |
| LSU Athletics | Official player profile | lsusports.net player page |
| USA Basketball | Official athlete profile | usab.com player page |
| ESPN | College player profile | espn.com player page |
The Instagram and X results match accounts connected with Zakiyah Johnson in current search listings, while LSU and USA Basketball provide the strongest sources for verified career information.
What Is Next for Zakiyah Johnson?
After a strong freshman year, Zakiyah Johnson enters the next stage of her LSU career with more experience and a clear chance to take on added responsibility.
In July 2026, WAFB described Zakiyah Johnson and teammate Grace Knox as returning LSU players coming off strong freshman seasons. Both were preparing for the next season under Kim Mulkey.
The next step for Zakiyah Johnson may involve more perimeter possessions. She was recruited as a guard but spent much of her first season near the basket. Continued development as a ball handler and outside shooter could make her even harder to defend.
Her freshman production already established a useful base. Zakiyah Johnson can rebound, finish, defend multiple positions, and contribute within a team structure. A larger role could bring more scoring chances and playmaking duties.
Why Basketball Fans Are Following Her Career
There are several reasons fans continue to search for Zakiyah Johnson.
First, her high school résumé was rare. Four state titles and four Gatorade awards showed long-term consistency.
Second, Zakiyah Johnson earned meaningful minutes immediately at LSU. Starting 23 games for a major SEC program is a strong first-year result.
Third, her playing style fits modern basketball. Coaches value players who can guard multiple positions, rebound, and score without controlling the ball on every possession.
Finally, Zakiyah Johnson still has room to expand her perimeter game. Her development could influence LSU’s lineup and championship plans over the next several seasons.
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Final Thoughts
Zakiyah Johnson entered college with major expectations and quickly proved that she could contribute at the SEC level.
Her first LSU season included 330 points, 189 rebounds, 23 starts, and SEC All-Freshman recognition. Before college, she won four Kentucky state championships, four Gatorade Player of the Year awards, and a USA Basketball gold medal.
The career path of Zakiyah Johnson is still developing. Yet her record already shows scoring ability, consistency, flexibility, and experience in important games. As LSU prepares for another season, Zakiyah Johnson remains one of the team’s key returning young players.
FAQs
Who is Zakiyah Johnson?
Zakiyah Johnson is an LSU women’s basketball guard who previously starred at Sacred Heart Academy in Kentucky.
What team does Zakiyah Johnson play for?
Zakiyah Johnson plays college basketball for the LSU Tigers women’s basketball team.
What position does Zakiyah Johnson play?
Zakiyah Johnson plays guard, but she can also handle forward and interior responsibilities.
How tall is Zakiyah Johnson?
Zakiyah Johnson is listed at 6 feet tall by LSU and USA Basketball.
Where is Zakiyah Johnson from?
Zakiyah Johnson is from Shelbyville, Kentucky, and attended Sacred Heart Academy in Louisville.
What number does Zakiyah Johnson wear?
Zakiyah Johnson wears jersey No. 11 for LSU.
What did Zakiyah Johnson average as a freshman?
Zakiyah Johnson averaged 9.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game in 2025–26.
Did Zakiyah Johnson win SEC recognition?
Yes. Zakiyah Johnson was selected for the 2026 SEC All-Freshman Team.
How many high school points did Zakiyah Johnson score?
Zakiyah Johnson finished her high school career with 3,870 points across 149 games.
Did Zakiyah Johnson play for USA Basketball?
Yes. Zakiyah Johnson won a gold medal with the USA U18 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup team.
