Jason Collins, NBA's first openly gay player, dies at 47 following battle with brain cancer
Collins' family announced his death on Tuesday, marking the end of a career that saw him break significant barriers for LGBTQ+ athletes across North American professional sports.
The family of Jason Collins has announced the death of the National Basketball Association's first openly gay player at the age of 47. Collins passed away at his home on Tuesday, surrounded by loved ones, following a prolonged battle with stage 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
His relatives released a statement expressing their heartbreak, describing Collins as a beloved husband, son, brother and uncle. They noted that he changed lives in unexpected ways and served as an inspiration to those who knew him personally as well as those who admired him from afar. The family expressed gratitude for the exceptional medical care Collins received from doctors and nurses over the past eight months.
Collins first disclosed his diagnosis in December after experiencing symptoms such as brain fog and declining short-term memory. He subsequently underwent treatment in Singapore at a facility specialising in this specific type of tumour. The intervention was initially successful enough to allow him to return home and attend NBA All-Star Weekend in February, but the disease progressed shortly thereafter.
His historic announcement that he was gay came in a 2013 Sports Illustrated essay, making him the first active openly gay player in NBA history and the first across all four major North American professional sports leagues. Following his coming out, Collins received high-profile support, including calls from Oprah Winfrey and then-US President Barack Obama.
Collins was selected as the No. 18 overall pick out of Stanford in 2001 and played 13 seasons across six different teams before retiring in 2014. He served as an NBA Cares Ambassador and is survived by his husband, Brunson.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued a statement highlighting Collins' impact on inclusivity within the NBA, WNBA and broader sports community. Silver noted that Collins exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his career, helping to make the sport more welcoming for future generations.
