Shada Nasr

Shada Nasr is a celebrated Lebanese basketball player whose skill, vision, and leadership have left a lasting mark on the sport. A multiple-time champion and national team standout, she has inspired generations of athletes with her clutch performances, unwavering competitiveness, and commitment to the game. Beyond her on-court achievements, Shada is the founder of Play It Forward to create more opportunities for young players, cementing her role as both a sporting icon and a catalyst for positive change in Lebanese sport.

What inspired you to start your sports journey?

I grew up surrounded by sports thanks to my dad, who is incredibly athletic. He played volleyball in Lebanon and later became the head of Monsef Sports Club. Almost every day, he would take me to the club, where we played all kinds of sports mostly volleyball, tennis, and basketball. His passion for sports was contagious. While volleyball and tennis were his favourites, I eventually gravitated toward basketball because I loved the teamwork and energy it brought. Some of my fondest memories are watching Lakers games with him on TV. His dedication and love for sports deeply shaped who I am today.

What sports achievement are you most proud of so far?

Two achievements I’m most proud of are winning 13 Lebanese championship titles in a row and playing for the national team; it’s always an honour to represent your country. Within that, my biggest accomplishment was being part of the team’s historic milestones: winning the Arab Championship for the first time, qualifying in 2009 from Division B to Division A in Asia, and then, in 2011, not only remaining in Division A but also improving our ranking to fifth. Those moments stand out as the pinnacle of my career.

What advice would you give to young girls who want to pursue your sport seriously?

If you truly want to pursue basketball, you must remember two things. First, be ready to make sacrifices, many of them. Second, you must love the game deeply, because the journey will be full of ups and downs. Without that love, it’s easy to give up.
Work hard, embrace the sacrifices, and most importantly, enjoy the process. When you find joy not only in playing but in the hard work itself, that’s when it becomes truly rewarding.

What’s one small change that could make a big difference for women athletes in Lebanon?

I don’t think there’s just one change that would improve women’s basketball rather a combination of small, impactful actions.
First, we need more year-round tournaments for girls under 14, under 16, and under 18, both at the school and club levels which is what we’ve started doing with ‘Play It Forward’. This will give young players more opportunities to compete and develop.
Second, we must ensure that coaches, especially in schools, receive proper training. Offering coaching clinics, even for the basic skills, can make a big difference. The academies in Lebanon are doing a great job overall, but raising the standard across the board is key.
Third, we need more media coverage for women’s basketball. It may not be the most commercially attractive product yet, but visibility is crucial to growth.
Finally, we should actively recruit talent from all over Lebanon. I’m certain that if we tap into different regions, we’ll discover plenty of skilled players who can contribute to the sport’s future.
So it’s about starting young, ensuring quality coaching, giving girls plenty of competitive opportunities, and expanding our talent search nationwide.

Where would you like to see women’s sport in Lebanon in the future (10-20 years down the line)?

Honestly, my dream is to see Lebanon compete in the Basketball World Cup, not just in the qualifiers, but in the tournament itself. I know it’s not easy; to qualify, you need to be among the top three teams in Asia, which is a huge challenge because we compete against countries like Japan, Australia, and China that are ranked in the global top 10. But it’s not impossible. If we invest in grassroots development, recruit talent from abroad, and work hard as a united team, I believe it could happen…maybe not in the next 10 years, but perhaps within 20. That would be a dream come true.

How has your experience as an athlete shaped your professional career and influenced your perspective on motherhood?

The most important thing I learned from being part of a team is to care about the outcome as a group, not just as an individual. Learning this at a young age was invaluable as it taught me how to work with others, to understand that it’s not all about me, and to value collective success.

Basketball also gave me confidence. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me how to handle both victory and defeat. You’re not always going to win. Accepting a loss, while learning from it, is a vital skill.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve taken away is that while talent matters, perseverance and hard work matter more. Waking up every day and putting in the effort, over and over again, will take you further than natural skill alone. I’ve seen it in sports, and I’ve seen it in life. Those who work hard often surpass those who are more naturally gifted.

These lessons are ones I try to pass on to my children, William and Sophia: never give up, work hard no matter how good you are at something, and always know how to be part of a team.

Basketball has been such a positive force in my life, not only during my playing career but afterward as well. With ‘Play It Forward’, I see the initiative as both a team and a family, and I strive to spread that same culture of teamwork and giving back to the community.

What was the main motivation behind creating your own basketball league?

The main motivation behind ‘Play It Forward’ is to give back to sports and improve women’s basketball. I’ve always felt that we often get the short end of the stick in sports. I wanted to change that.

Before I stopped playing, I launched ‘Play It Forward’ with the goal of empowering girls, not necessarily to create the next superstar, but to show that sports can be fun, fulfilling, and full of life lessons. It’s about building confidence, learning teamwork, and enjoying the game. Through school-level tournaments, we create organized, competitive opportunities for girls to play, while also giving them visibility, whether that’s through professional photos, or even having a game televised. The message is simple: someone cares about you and your sport.

Over time, ‘Play It Forward’ has progressively grown to even some youth boys’ tournaments by request.
While balancing ‘Play It Forward’ with two kids can be challenging, and funding in Lebanon is always a hurdle, I remain committed to it. My hope is that ‘Play It Forward’ will continue for years to come, and that one day, my own children might get to be part of it if we live in Lebanon.

What opportunities do you hope your initiatives will create for athletes, coaches, referees, etc. ?

For me, ‘Play It Forward’ is mostly about creating memories and building friendships. The relationships and experiences you build in sports last a lifetime. Of course, if we help produce a star athlete, and I believe we will, that would be wonderful.
What I value most is seeing connections form between athletes from across Lebanon, like a girl from Tripoli becoming friends with a girl from Saida. Without basketball, they might never have met. Bringing people from different backgrounds together to enjoy the game in a fun, safe environment is what matters most to me.
While we also run a summer league and academy tournaments focused on high-level competition, my favorite remains the school tournaments. These events capture the true spirit of ‘Play It Forward’, spreading the love of basketball, encouraging teamwork, and building friendships that go far beyond the court.

We also focus on supporting coaches and referees, especially those who are just starting out. We give them more exposure through interviews and provide valuable game-time experience. Coaching or refereeing in practice is one thing, but the dynamics of a live game are completely different. With the limited number of games available in the regular league, our tournaments offer them a platform to gain more real-game experience, develop their skills, and grow in confidence.