Jason Collins, who was the first openly gay player in the NBA and became a trailblazer for inclusion and a representative for the league, has passed away following an eight-month struggle with a severe form of brain cancer, his family reported on Tuesday.
Collins played for 13 years in the NBA, representing six different teams. In 2013, he publicly came out as gay, an announcement that coincided with the latter part of his playing days.
He had been diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma, a type of cancer with a very low survival rate. He was 47 years old.
“Jason transformed lives in unforeseen ways and served as an inspiration to everyone who knew him as well as to those who admired him from a distance,” stated Collins’ family in a message issued through the NBA. “We appreciate the overwhelming support and prayers we’ve received over the past eight months and the exceptional care Jason received from his medical team. Our family will deeply miss him.”
Just a week ago, Collins was honored with the inaugural Bill Walton Global Champion Award at the Green Sports Alliance Summit. Due to his illness, he was unable to attend, and his twin brother, former NBA player Jarron Collins, accepted the award on his behalf.
While accepting the award, Jarron Collins remarked, “I told my brother this before I came here: He was the bravest, strongest person I’ve ever known.”
Throughout his career, Jason Collins averaged 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds. He played a pivotal role in helping the New Jersey Nets reach two NBA Finals, and during his best season, he averaged 6.4 points and 6.1 rebounds in 2004-05.
“Jason Collins’ influence and legacy stretched well beyond the basketball court as he contributed to making the NBA, WNBA, and the broader sports community more inclusive for future generations,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “He demonstrated exceptional leadership and professionalism during his 13 years in the NBA and in his dedicated role as an NBA Cares Ambassador. Jason will be remembered not just for shattering barriers, but also for the compassion and humanity that characterized his life and impacted so many others.”
“On behalf of the NBA, I extend my heartfelt condolences to Jason’s husband, Brunson, as well as his family, friends, and colleagues across our leagues.”
Jason Collins spent the majority of his career with the Nets, in addition to playing for teams such as Atlanta, Boston, Memphis, Minnesota, and Washington.
‘This one hurts’
“This one hurts,” wrote Dallas coach Jason Kidd, who was both a former teammate and coach of Collins, on X. “Jason Collins was a pioneer. He possessed a level of courage like no other. He was an outstanding teammate. Having him in Brooklyn at the beginning of my coaching career meant a great deal. Those who knew him were fortunate to call him a friend. You are already missed, my brother. Rest in power.”
In April 2013, Jason Collins publicly disclosed his sexual orientation in a first-person article for Sports Illustrated. At that time, he was a free agent seeking to continue his career, and subsequently played in 22 games with Brooklyn in the following season.
“If I could have it my way, someone else would have already taken this step,” he stated back then. “No one has, which is why I’m raising my hand.”
His courageous announcement received widespread acclaim, with prominent athletes like Kobe Bryant quickly expressing their support for Collins. He also received backing from the White House and former President Bill Clinton, whose daughter, Chelsea, attended Stanford alongside Collins. During his time at Stanford, Collins shared a room with Joe Kennedy III, who has ties to a well-known American political family and served in Congress for eight years.
Collins noted in his Sports Illustrated piece that he felt compelled to go public about his sexuality after seeing Kennedy participate in Boston’s gay pride parade in 2012 — an event he felt he could not join.
Before this, Collins had kept his views on LGBTQ+ rights private. He wore jersey No. 98 for most of his final three seasons with Boston, Washington, and Brooklyn, honoring the year when Matthew Shepard, a gay college student from Wyoming, was murdered. He also donned the number 46 in one game for the Nets, as it was the only jersey available when he signed.
Legend of the LGBTQ+ community
On Tuesday, tributes began pouring in from across the basketball community and beyond. The Human Rights Campaign, a civil rights organization, issued a statement saying, “By stepping forward as he did, he boldly changed the conversation. He was and will forever be a legend for the LGBTQ+ community.”
Arn Tellem, the agent who represented Collins, added, “Representing Jason Collins was one of the greatest honors of my life — not just as an agent, but as a mentor and friend. His courage changed lives and transcended our sport. His impact extended far beyond basketball.”
A moment of silence was observed on Tuesday before the playoff game between Minnesota and San Antonio, in memory of both Collins and Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke, whose passing was also announced that day. The Spurs honored Collins not only for breaking barriers but also for “his bravery and kindness.”
Collins maintained an impressive shooting percentage of nearly 61 percent during his career at Stanford, which still stands as a school record. He was named an honorable mention to The Associated Press’ All-America team in 2001, just months before the Houston Rockets selected him with the 18th pick in that year’s NBA draft.
“It’s a sorrowful day for everyone connected to Stanford basketball as we lose one of the program’s greats,” said former Stanford coach Mike Montgomery. “We all have fond memories of Jason and the type of person he was. It’s difficult to distinguish between Jarron and Jason because they were so alike in thought, but even as identical twins, Jason was distinct in his own right. His influence on Stanford was significant, as he could compete against anyone nationally with his size, intelligence, strength, and skill, all while being a genuinely kind and bright individual.”
