Jason Collins, the NBA’s first active openly gay player, has died from brain cancer after a valiant fight that spanned eight months.
Collins, who served as an NBA Cares Ambassador for a decade, disclosed in November 2023 to ESPN that he had been diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma. According to the outlet, he underwent experimental treatments in Singapore during the previous winter that were not yet approved for use in the United States.
Collins’ cancer returned recently, and he passed peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by family.
“The NBA’s beloved husband, son, brother and uncle has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” his family stated in an official release. “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.”
Collins retired after 13 seasons with the New Jersey Nets, Memphis, Minnesota, Atlanta, Boston, Washington and a return to the Nets following Brooklyn’s relocation. He became the first publicly gay athlete in any of North America’s four major sports leagues when he came out in a 2013 Sports Illustrated cover story.
“When I chose to come out, there was no scandal,” Collins told ESPN in November. “This was like, I feel that I am good enough to play in the NBA and by the way, I’m gay. Just so everyone knows cards on the table, this is where I am.”
Collins played 22 games for the Nets during his 2013-14 season alongside Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson. He later acknowledged coach Jason Kidd, with whom he played on a Nets team that reached the NBA Finals in 2002-03.
“Jason Collins’ impact extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA and larger sports community more inclusive,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “He was an incredible teammate… Those who knew him were blessed to call him a friend.”
In an essay written after his former Stanford University roommate Joe Kennedy marched in Boston’s Pride parade, Collins expressed pride in Kennedy’s actions but anger that as a closeted gay man he couldn’t cheer his straight friend on publicly.
Despite initial uncertainty about whether his coming out would end his career, Collins received significant support. He took a call from President Barack Obama and was invited to attend the 2014 State of the Union address as a guest of First Lady Michelle Obama. He was appointed to the president’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition.
The praise wasn’t universal initially—Miami Dolphins wide receiver Mike Wallace later apologized for offensive social media comments—but Collins received widespread support from NBA figures including Lakers star Kobe Bryant, who posted: “Proud of @jasoncollins34.”
