Matee Ajavon: Off the Court
By Shamica Gibson
Basketball fans know Matee Ajavon for her stamina on the court. Her defensive instinct has garnered attention from players, coaches and fans around the WNBA. But when she’s not lacing up her sneakers and preparing for competition, Matee spends time writing poetry, recording music and acting.
Matee’s passion for the arts arrived at an early age. She recalled developing her niche for writing poems when she was an adolescent.
“I’ve always had a passion for creativity,” she said. “I’ve been writing poems since I was younger.”
Eventually Matee’s fascination with words and rhythm transcended into music. She embraces a diverse collection of genres. While she attributes West African and Reggae styles to introducing her to music, she favorably enjoys hip-hop along with RnB and pop.
Her favorite artists include Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar and Chance the Rapper. She admitted to drawing inspiration from NBA star Damian Lillard, who also seizes every opportunity to showcase his musical flair. In fact, Matee recently took to social media to follow Lillard’s footsteps in participating in the social media frenzy, the So Gone Challenge, in which social media users recorded videos of themselves rapping over the instrumental for RnB singer Monica’s hit, “So Gone.” Though this may have introduced many of her followers to her musical interests, Matee maintains that she had previously recorded her own music.
“I actually put a couple of songs together,” she said. “I’m [still] in the process. I’m still finishing up the records.”
Matee spends a substantial amount of her off-court time honing her disk jockeying skills. She recently purchased a new set of turntables, and she takes every opportunity to practice her technique. The Liberia-native even spent time in 2015 djing in lounges for leisure.
Her admiration for music is gaping, but she refuses to be limited to it. In addition to continuously cultivating her musical ability, she expressed appreciation for the performing arts. Though still in the dawn of her acting career, she has graced stages in Washington, D.C. and Atlanta with improvisational and spoken word performances. She can also be caught performing comedy skits via her social media accounts. Her skits include her performing parodies and playing practical jokes on her teammates and coaches.
“I just love to have fun. I love to smile,” she said. “And I love to make people smile and have a good time.”
She even revealed times when she performed for houseguests and, one of her most jocular moments, entertaining strangers at a busy intersection with a practical joke.
Matee admitted that her primary focus remains basketball. However, she has not discounted seeking a full-time entertainment career once she permanently unlaces her basketball sneakers. She continues to seek guidance from her mentors, and she hopes to continue entertaining her fans through a new capacity.