Jason Collins, the former NBA player who became the first openly gay man to play in a major US pro sports league, has died after a battle with brain cancer.
“Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar,” Collins’ family said in a statement.
Collins, 47, had revealed in September that he was undergoing treatment for a brain tumor and in December told ESPN that he had been diagnosed with a “multiforme” glioblastoma that was growing quickly. He opted to pursue innovative treatment in Singapore.
Collins retired in 2014 after a 13-year NBA career that included time with the New Jersey and Brooklyn Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics.
He announced he was gay in a 2013 Sports Illustrated story and the following year played 22 games for the Brooklyn Nets, coached at the time by his former New Jersey teammate Jason Kidd.
"When I did come out publicly, it was interesting, it was very rare, but I got back-to-back calls from Oprah Winfrey and President Barack Obama," Collins recalled in a November interview with ESPN. "President Obama said 'Congratulations -- what you've done today will have a positive impact on someone you might not ever meet in your lifetime.'"
He said he hoped discussing his cancer diagnosis could help a stranger in the same way.
“Jason Collins’ 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,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓
