In February 2017, Jamaad Fiin broke the internet when her video showcasing basketball skills dropped on Instagram and went viral.
Fiin who’s clad in full Islamic attire is seen dribbling past several male players before driving to the basket and scoring with her left hand.
Her cousin tweeted the video on her 18th birthday.
‘There was this video where, when one of my cousins posted it, that’s when it went crazy.’
‘Apparently, nobody has ever seen a Muslim girl play basketball. Especially wearing the hijab and our traditional clothing. And so that’s why it got so much buzz’, she told the BBC.
Fiin’s posts on social media have amassed millions of views.
She has racked more than half a million followers on Instagram, 1.5 million followers on Tik Tok with more than 27 million likes.
The video drew the attention of musicians Drake, Lil Baby, and OverTime as well as Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown.
‘I knew my scarf would place the utmost attention on me while on the court, so therefore I could not perform terribly. Every day that I practiced I went hard, and I promised myself that I would not disappoint my religion and that I will set an example for younger Muslim girls in my community to have the courage to play the sport they love while being sincere to themselves and to their religion,’ she wrote on her website.
We as Muslim women have to be great because all eyes are on us.
Born and raised in Boston as the daughter of Somali immigrants, Finn has captained senior teams at college and university.
She’s also the current captain of Somalia’s Women’s national basketball team and has led the side in FIBA tournaments in Uganda and Dubai.
‘I feel like basketball has made me the person I am today. I was a very shy young girl and playing basketball helped me get out of my comfort zone, make more friends, talk to more people. Pushing my story out there is a way where more girls can feel inspired’, she said.
She wants to use her story to motivate Muslim girls and women who are scared to exit their bubble due to stereotypes.
‘Even if they don’t play basketball, it’s a way to make them feel more empowered. To make them feel you don’t have to be what society tells you to be, the stereotypes that are put on you from the start like you don’t have to succumb to those stereotypes, you can succeed and do whatever we want, try whatever we want, try new things and be yourself,’ said Fiin.
Using her newly found fame, skills and connections Fiin founded the Jamad Basketball Camps in 2018, which helps Muslim girls of all ages and skill levels to be better athletes.
She hosted the first training camp the following year in Columbus, Ohio during the spring break.
The third basketball camp was hosted in Toronto, Canada which got an assist from local rap star Drake.
The Canadian rapper, who is a global ambassador for the Toronto Raptors, invited Fiin to host a camp at their practice facility in December 2019.
