Jason Collins, the 13-year NBA veteran who was the league’s first openly gay player, died at 47 following a battle with glioblastoma, his family announced on Tuesday.
“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” the Collins family said in a statement shared by the NBA this afternoon. “Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”
Collins attended Stanford and earned third-team All-American honors in 2001 before he was drafted by the Rockets in the first round of that year’s NBA draft; he was traded to the then-New Jersey Nets on draft night. Collins went on to enjoy a 13-year career in professional basketball as a journeyman center, suiting up for the Nets, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Hawks, Celtics, and Wizards before returning to the Nets once they moved to Brooklyn. He played 735 games in the NBA and appeared in the 2002 NBA Finals.
Collins was best known for his decision to come out as gay in a May 2013 issue of Sports Illustrated. He was the first active NBA player to come out, as well as the first active male athlete in any of the four major North American sports to do so.
“I didn’t set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I’m happy to start the conversation. I wish I wasn’t the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, ‘I’m different.’ If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I’m raising my hand,” Collins wrote in 2013.
After coming out, Collins went unsigned for half of the 2013–14 season before inking a few 10-day deals with the Nets. He eventually signed with Brooklyn for the remainder of that season and announced his retirement in November of 2014.
Collins was an NBA Cares ambassador after his playing days. This past November he revealed the news of his glioblastoma diagnosis. He is survived by his husband, Brunson Green, his parents and brother, Jarron Collins.
Adam Silver’s statement on Jason Collins
Shortly after news of his death was announced, NBA commissioner Adam Silver released a statement praising Collins for the impact and influence he had on the basketball community that will be felt for years to come.
“Jason Collins’s impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations,” Silver said. “He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador. Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others.
“On behalf of the NBA, I send my heartfelt condolences to Jason’s husband, Brunson, and his family, friends and colleagues across our leagues.”
Stanford statement on Jason Collins
Stanford University, where Collins starred from 1997 to 2001, released a statement celebrating his life and accomplishments for the Cardinals in the wake of his death.
“Stanford men’s basketball mourns the passing of Jason Collins, a trail blazer for equality, advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion and hall of fame basketball player on the Farm,” the statement read. “Renowned for his contributions both on and off the court, Collins became the first publicly gay athlete to play in any of the four major North American professional sports leagues, as he announced in Sports Illustrated in 2013. He became an NBA ambassador following his retirement and a champion for LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports.
“Collins finished his career as the school’s career leader in field goal percentage (.608), a record which still stands. He was named a third-team All-American by the National Association of Basktball Coaches (NABC) and earned honorable mention All-America accolades by the Associated Press in 2001. He was also selected as the 2001 Pete Newell NABC Big Man of the Year.
“Collins became the second Stanford basketball player in school history to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated, and is a member of the Stanford Hall of Fame, inducted alongside his brother Jarron in 2017. The 18th overall selection in the 2001 NBA Draft, Collins played 13 seasons for six NBA teams.
“Stanford sends its love and support to Jason’s husband, Brunson, brother, Jarron, and the entire Collins family.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jason Collins, First Openly Gay Player in NBA History, Dies at 47.
