"Your life is so much better when you just show up as your true self, unafraid to be your true self, in public or private."
Jason Collins, a former NBA center who played 13 seasons in the league and was the first openly gay active player in a major U.S. professional sports league, died on Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles at age 47. His family announced his death, stating he had been battling glioblastoma, a Stage 4 brain tumor, for approximately eight months.
Background and Diagnosis
Collins was diagnosed with a brain tumor in September 2024 and later disclosed he had Stage 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer with a low survival rate. In an article published by ESPN in December 2024, Collins stated that he underwent experimental treatment in Singapore to extend his life, but the cancer returned and worsened.
"The goal is to keep fighting the progress of the tumors long enough for a personalized immunotherapy to be made for me, and to keep me healthy enough to receive that immunotherapy once it's ready." — Jason Collins, December 2024
NBA Career
Collins played 13 NBA seasons for six franchises:
- New Jersey Nets
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Atlanta Hawks
- Boston Celtics
- Washington Wizards
Over 735 regular-season games, he averaged 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. His best statistical season was 2004–05 with the Nets, when he averaged 6.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Collins helped the New Jersey Nets reach the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003.
He was drafted 18th overall by the Houston Rockets in the 2001 NBA draft and subsequently traded to the Nets on draft night. At Stanford, Collins shot nearly 61% from the field, a school record, and was an honorable mention All-American in 2001.
Public Announcement
In April 2013, Collins publicly came out as gay in a first-person essay in Sports Illustrated magazine, writing: "I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay." He was a free agent at the time of the announcement. The announcement was widely covered as a milestone for LGBTQ+ inclusion in professional sports, as he was the first active male athlete in one of North America's four major professional sports leagues to come out as gay.
After the 2012–13 season, Collins remained unsigned until the Brooklyn Nets offered him a 10-day contract in February 2014. He played the remainder of the season with the Nets and retired in November 2014.
Career After Retirement
Following his retirement, Collins became an advocate and served as an NBA ambassador for inclusion. In his final seasons, he wore jersey number 98 as a tribute to Matthew Shepard, a gay college student killed in 1998.
Statements
In a statement released through the NBA, Collins' family said:
"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."
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stated that Collins' impact extended beyond basketball, helping make the league more inclusive.
At the Green Sports Alliance Summit last week, Collins was posthumously awarded the inaugural Bill Walton Global Champion Award. His twin brother, former NBA player Jarron Collins, accepted on his behalf, saying:
"I told my brother this before I came here: He's the bravest, strongest man I've ever known."