The Toronto Raptors have collaborated with Nike to create the first professionally branded hijabs for Muslim basketball players.

The NBA team say they have created them to be inclusive to all who play the sport and that it was inspired "by those brave enough to change the game".

The Hijab Ballers, a group who celebrate Muslim women playing basketball, are said to be the inspiration for the apparel.

The founder of the Ballers, Amreen Kadwa, said: "They really wanted to involve local Muslim female athletes.

“There was a genuine partnership and interest to highlight this group, making it authentic to the Muslim community.”

Kadwa said the Raptors hijabs have "been received positively among Muslim females and Raptors fans."

She said: “Toronto is a great multicultural city to introduce something like this.”

The Ballers' national communications director Ibrahim Hooper said: “It sends a powerful message of inclusion to the Muslim community.

“I think the Raptors deserve to be congratulated for taking a step that other teams have yet to make.”

The NBA season starts again on October 22.