Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow: Emmitt Matthews Jr. Explains New Look

The Husky forward goes all in to make a change in his appearance.

Emmitt Matthews Jr. looked like he was sitting for a job interview, not a postgame basketball interview.

His longish, new-age locks that once sprouted in all sorts of majestic directions were gone, replaced by a conservative, close-cropped look.

Matthews did what no college basketball player would consider these days — he cut off his hair.

The 6-foot-7 junior forward from Tacoma, Washington, felt no external pressures at all to alter his appearance. In fact, his mother wasn't too pleased that he chose to tone down his follicles.

The West Virginia University transfer who came home went this route just to be different.

"Over the past 4-5 years I want to say I've had my hair how it was," said Matthews, always thoughtful with his answers. "I feel like the transition for me coming here, me transitioning as a player and as a man, and all that and all those aspects of life, I wanted to change it up."

Emmitt Matthews Jr. with his new look against WSU.
Emmitt Matthews Jr. after his makeover / Skylar Lin Visuals

So what did Matthews think after he rid himself of his hipster image? Any regrets?

"I felt for me I wanted to look more professional," he said "I feel I look older. I look better, I think."

Matthews said his mother ignored him for 24 hours. He has the shorn hair in a sack that he'll present to her. She's getting used to the new him.

Emmitt Matthews Jr. and his old look.
Emmitt Matthews Jr. before his makeover.  / Skylar Lin Visuals

Not long after he took the big step, teammate PJ Fuller got rid of his luxurious locks, too.

Guard Terrell Brown, whose hair always has been on the short side, said it was his suggestion as the old guy on the team that his teammates get clipped, a claim that Matthews debated.

"I'm the trendsetter," Matthews pointed out. "Don't be surprised if slowly, slowly you see everybody cutting their hair."

Matthews and Brown were in agreement about one thing — hipster Husky center Nate Roberts will never join them in this hair-losing venture.

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.