Hooping with Hijab

As women’s basketball booms around the world, devout Muslim players from Bosnia to the Bronx grapple with a blanket ban on headwear of any kind.

Illustration by Chris Russell

B o u n c e . B o u n c e . Elbow in. Knees bent. Sneakers planted. Her feet levitate, her arm extends over her veil, and not a single hair from her head invades the personal space of her eyes, nose or mouth. Her hand follows through as the touch of the rust-colored leather sphere flies from her fingertips.