Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir broke barriers in becoming the first Division I basketball player to play while wearing a hijab.
Life Without Basketball takes us inside the world of Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir. As a record-breaking high school star and college athlete, her life as a basketball player had structure and a clear forward path.
Bilqis was raised to follow the Quran and has been wearing hijab since the age of fourteen. She extends this practice onto the court as well, covering arms and legs underneath her uniform and wearing a tightly wrapped headscarf. When she began her college career in 2009 she became the first NCAA Division I athlete to do so. Her story attracted the attention of national media and later, the White House.
"A beautiful portrait of a young woman, her beliefs, her cause and her family."
UNSEEN FILMS
"This film shines a light on a remarkable young Muslim woman in America."
NBC SPORTS
“The poignant documentary crosses the intersections of sport, faith, gender, and race. One that subtly uses basketball as a bridge to
other important conversations.”
THE SHADOW LEAGUE
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