(photo by Jordan Brand, a Division of Nike, Inc.)

Bio

After winning two NCAA titles and more games than any player in college basketball history, Maya was the NCAA’s Academic All-American of the Year and drafted #1 by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2011 WNBA Draft. As the 2011 WNBA Rookie of the Year and an All-Star Starter, less than five months after graduating from UCONN, she helped the franchise capture its first WNBA Championship. That Spring she added Euroleague Champion to her resumé. Only one year later, she added Olympic Gold as a part of Team USA at the London Olympics. Playing again with the Shanxi Flames, Maya is in the hunt for a second WCBA title. In 2013 Maya and the Minnesota Lynx captured their second WNBA Championship with Maya earning Finals MVP honors in the process.  Armed with fire, polish and integrity, Maya is Generation Next; repping the Jordan Brand and chosen by Michael himself, she is one of the game’s most amplified crossover stars.

Interview

Tell us a little bit about the path to where you are today.

I grew up in a single-parent home with a lot of extended family in Jefferson City,  Missouri.  To keep me busy while she cooked dinner, my mom put up a toy basketball hoop in the living room. I was a very active and energetic kid who played every sport I could get my hands on.  By the age of eight I realized I loved basketball more than the other sports and that was the beginning of a nine year journey of competitive amateur ball.   Seeking greater job opportunities, my mom moved our family to Metro-Atlanta when I was 12 and I then began to have access to some very competitive AAU teams.  I worked, played and trained every summer and school year and ended up having a very successful high school career.  The Lord was growing me and my mom also as we started to really seek the Lord in a deeper way as we were “on our own” away from the solid Christian family I grew up around.  I played my college ball all the way in Connecticut where the Lord blessed me with some amazing coaches, teammates, friends and mentors through a Christian sports ministry called Athletes in Action.  Through this support system I developed greatly as a leader, person and disciple of Christ.  Upon graduating, I was drafted #1 to Minnesota and it has been a challenging, exciting, and prayerful process as I navigate the waters of early adulthood. It’s been amazing to see what the Lord has done already, and I know He still has greater things for the future.

What does a typical day of work look like for you?

A typical day for me depends on what part of the year we’re talking about.  I live in 3 places all over the world a year.  I am “in season” 8.5-9 months out of the year on two different continents which comprises on-court practices with world class athletes, weight training, traveling to different cities to compete in regular season and playoff games, interviews, community events, etc.

Did you have a specific moment when you realized that you wanted to play in the WNBA?

I’ve  been a fan of the WNBA since it’s birth in 1997.  The moment I saw Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, Tina Thompson, Lisa Leslie and all the other women of the WNBA, I knew I wanted to play as they did when I grew up.  I was too excited when I was able to compete against Lisa Leslie in an exhibition game when I was a freshman at UConn and she was on the Olympic National Team.  I played against Sheryl Swoops in her last season in the WNBA when I was a rookie.  I was honored to compete against Tina Thompson in the last game of her WNBA career this past season, and I was coached by Cynthia Cooper when I was on the U20 USA Basketball team.  Having those experiences were really dream come true moments where I was able to appreciate the role models they were for me growing up. 

What risks or hard decisions have you had to make to live unashamed? 

Growing up in a team sport culture there’s often the pressure to “fit in” with what everyone else is doing.  In our broken world, there’s plenty of opportunity to say YOLO and live recklessly.  Not going with the crowd and facing the reality of being alone for a while can be scary.  But it’s in those times where the Lord met me and His presence and truth of His word filled my heart, knowing my obedience and loyalty to Him pleased Him.  And through it all, He faithfully brought me friends to live unashamed with.

What does the unashamed life look like in your context?

As a public figure, I depend daily on God to fill me with humility. I believe the best way I can be a role model is by living an authentically, God-dependent lifestyle. Acknowledging God and his character in a relevant way is a priority and privilege everyday.  How I treat others, not thinking too highly of myself to be a servant, and being aware of when the culture around me tries to place me on a throne that only God should sit.

How have you worked through success? Failure?

Experiencing the highs and lows and daily grind of sports is very different with Christ as your Lord vs anything else as lord in your life.  Thankfully, through most of my career I’ve learned that my identity is in God as his daughter and not in who the world says I am.  This doesn’t mean that losing doesn’t hurt and winning doesn’t feel great.  But I know that in the end God is using it all for His glory and my good somehow.  I’ve been blessed with some great coaches and mentors that have helped learn how to handle failure and success.  When I miss the mark, whether on the court or in my relationships or personally, I know God has plenty of grace for me and I leave it at the cross and process through how to be better next time I face that challenge.

Have you had any mentors along the way? 

My first home church in Atlanta had a huge impact on my personal walk.  In college, I gained a great mentor and friends through Athletes in Action and I’ve played for some awesome coaches that taught me how to play the game with class and respect.

Do you have any favorite books?

I love reading, I’m always reading at least a couple books at a time. I am currently reading Mary Kassian’s Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild exploring the topic of godly womanhood in our crazy culture.  The Boundaries series by Dr. Townsend and Cloud are great resources that have helped me gain wisdom in relationships.  Crazy Love by Francis Chan, Radical by David Platt, Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson and With by Skye Jethani were all awesome books I’ve read over the last 4 years.  Always keeping my nose in my ESV Study Bible.  Tactics by Greg Koukl.  Just did an awesome study in the book of Daniel with our WNBA chaplains and a teammate this last championship season.

What verses or passages in Scripture have sustained or encouraged you?

Col 3:23-24 is a part of Scripture that I’ve incorporated into my autograph.  Every time I sign I get to leave that person with a piece of truth about my ultimate motivation.  I’m confident God is using that somehow to bless others and me.

Rom 8:28 is a passage that I always go back to that reminds me of God’s goodness and is a real source of hope for me when things don’t make sense or if a painful situation arises.  It also makes me feel grateful that no experience in my life or in other believer’s lives are wasted.  God is sovereign and faithful.

Can you offer some encouragement to other unashamed believers out there?

Be diligent over your heart and remain grounded in the Word and in community with other unashamed believers.  For me this means frequent prayer, diligent Bible study, and regularly engaging with other Christ followers so that my mind & heart stay convinced of His truth in a world that screams otherwise.  Keep growing in grace and effectiveness at connecting with others who don’t know the Lord.  And always remember, people are watching the way you live, and from one of my favorite pastor’s John Piper, “God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him.”  When people see you living unashamed and satisfied in God, it will reap a kingdom harvest.  Our labor is not in vain, amen!

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

1 Corinthians 15:58

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